Maia Lightwood and the Devil's Maze
by DeanW1979
Summary: In a time when Percy Jackson doesn't come to Camp Half-Blood for a few more years, this story follows a young daughter of Aphrodite who is about to find out the true meaning of love. Love ... definitely NOT her favourite word. Rated T just in case. This story is the first of a series I'm writing, so please read this one first.
1. Chapter 1

**A / N: **This story ... never mind, I'll let you read it for yourselves. You might notice one or two demigods from the books, but I made up the majority of the characters. Hope you like it!

**Disclaimer: **Anything you recognize is Rick Riordan's, anything you don't is mine.

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1

I drummed my fingers impatiently on my laptop keyboard, waiting for my nail polish to dry while breathing in the smell of freshly made pasta that was wafting up into my bedroom. I heard the clinking of multiple plates as the many dishes were washed. I blew my hair out of my face impatiently. This is what my life is like. My Dad and I live in a small apartment above an Italian restaurant in lower Manhattan. The owners of the restaurant are Mr and Mrs Balboni. They are old friends of my Dad from Italy (that's where he's from). They're nice enough. They're just like family. They let us rent the apartment for a small fee, and basically every night they gave us dinner sized 'free samples'.

I lifted my laptop off my lap using my fingertips and got up from my bed, hearing the springs creak wearily. I _had _been trying to do homework, but my hyperactive brain didn't really cope well with that. I had ADHD. Serious ADHD. I mean, I was good in class and all, I just hated the idea of using your time off school to do _more _things for school. I glanced around my room. Blue number one ribbons littered my pin board from multiple sports carnivals along with a few faded pictures. Running was one of the few things I actually enjoyed. It gave my time to think, the repetitive pounding of my footsteps putting my mind at ease.

I looked in the mirror, a simple square of reflective glass with a wooden border. A slim girl with a strong, lithe, frame stared back at me, built like the great long-distance runner that she was. Her features of electric blue eyes and long wavy black hair was the only thing I really noticed. No one else looked at the rest anyway. Just that face. I knew I wasn't ugly, but everyone else thought that I was stunning. Not that it rose my self-esteem. I could be popular if I wanted, but to be honest, I hated attention. I wasn't that type of person. I mainly stuck to myself, doing all the activities set in my way alone, not accepting any help. To be fair, I hadn't always been like that. There was to be a whole different Maia Lightwood that was into everything and had heaps of friends, but that girl was long gone. Suddenly a sharp knock on the restaurant door broke me out of my reverie. Silence. Then another knock. I frowned. The restaurant wasn't open on Sundays. I climbed out my bedroom window and onto the fire escape, resting my hip on the rusty railing. On peering down, I saw it was my Latin teacher, Mr. Gleeson. I suppressed a laugh, thinking of what he'd said to me on my first day of school.

_'It's always a good sign if you've made friends on your first day,'_ he'd said.

I'd replied, quoting one of my favourite movies, '_If the only friend I've made is my Latin teacher, that's kinda depressing,'_

We'd laughed about it afterwards, though we both knew it was a tiny bit true. Then I bit my lip. Why _was_ he here? I'd passed all my tests _and_ got good marks...

"Dave, it's for you!" Mrs Balboni trilled, her voice echoing up the stairs.

"Coming!" came my Dad's muffled voice from the kitchen.

I went to climb back into my room until I heard a loud "Maiaaaaaa!" from across the street. I turned around to see Seamus Temple from my school leaning against the broken window of a shop across the street, his aviator sunnies dangling from one hand, an empty beer bottle in the other.

"Hey baby," he called, grinning lazily with drunk pleasure.

I rolled my eyes and climbed back through the window. Seamus had been asking me out for months, but to be honest, he was a complete jerk. His family was extremely rich, and they owned a more than a dozen of houses all around America, which just made Seamus feel even more superior. Just because all the others girls were all mooney eyes over him, didn't mean I had to be. For them, he was the perfect barbie boy, complete with the blonde hair and blue eyes, which, apart from him being a total dumbo, was _not _my style. Actually, I'd _never_ been interested in boys that way. The only downside was that the other girls at my school hated me, because to them, rejecting Seamus was a criminal offence.

I turned my attention back to the more pressing problem. The fact that my _Latin teacher_ of all people had just arrived on my doorstep for no apparent reason. I heard the thumping of footsteps as Mr Gleeson made his way upstairs, beginning to make small talk with my Dad. I crept out of my bedroom and pressed my ear to the kitchen door. Dad and Mr Gleeson were talking in hushed voices now, so I could only catch snippets of their conversation.

"What is it?" Dad muttered.

"One of them has caught up with you," Mr Gleeson answered severely.

To me it meant nothing but nonsense, but I could almost hear my Dad catch his breath.

"Does this mean...?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yes. It's time Maia knows about her Mum,"

My heart froze. My Dad never talked about Mum. She left us. She _abandoned _us. My dad hadn't told me anything about her, except that she left just after I was born and only came back to give birth to my little sister Emma. Then she left again. Mom and Dad met in Italy, but they moved to New York when I was born. I can't even believe she had the nerve to come back when she found out she was pregnant with Emma. _Emma. _Emma was a long story short. Last year she disappeared, and we just never found her. One of those mystery cases I guess. It was Thanks Giving and all the kids were playing hide and seek, yelling and screaming in excitement. We found all of them except we never found her. It was like a nightmare coming to life. The police sent out heaps of search parties out to look for her, but with no result. She was only eleven. Way too young to... to get lost. We were as close sisters as you could get, too. It was one of those rare circumstances where two siblings _actually_ got along. Everyone said she looked like a mini me, with us both having our startlingly blue eyes and jet black hair. Her disappearance was basically the reason I ended up like this. As soon as she went missing, my life started to go down hill. I went to a school for 'special' kids, and got expelled from most other schools. The thing was that everything that happened wasn't my fault. In year seven I got expelled for stealing my maths teacher's new motorbike, when really, I just asked and he'd actually said yes. This year was similar. I'd gotten expelled for sabotaging a school excursion _just_ because I read all the museum plaques in Greek. And that wasn't even the worst thing I'd done. Is it true that I'm a troubled teen? Maybe. Personally, I think that's a little harsh. I wasn't troubled, I was just sad. And lonely. Definitely lonely.

There was a knock on my door, and Dad poked his head in. I had a inkling on what was coming next.

"Maia? Pack a bag. You and Mr Gleeson are leaving," he said sternly, but it seemed to be hard for him to say the words without his voice breaking.

Actually, I hadn't known that was coming next.

"What do you mean, leaving?" I said shakily.

I would've thought it was I joke if I had not seen my Dad's expression. Was he actually just shipping me off? Was that why Mr Gleeson was here? Here would he be taking me? The questions pounded my brain so much that it hurt.

"Maia. Do as I said. You're going with Mr Gleeson. Just pack,"

That's when I did the why-it's-not-fair-tell-me-more-I-don't-want-to-leave thing. When I finished I caught my breath and looked defiantly up at Dad.

"Why?" I said with finality.

He hesitated. "Because you are a Demigod. Don't ask," he added when I opened my mouth. "Mr Gleeson will tell you all you need to know,"

I caught my tongue. Demigod. The word rang in my head. Demi = half. God = ...well, god. It wasn't hard to do the math. Still, it made exactly the amount of sense as when Mr Balboni gave me pasta in a taco.

Mr Gleeson came into my room (something that did _not _earn him any brownie points) to stand next to Dad, like Dad had asked for backup. Dad nodded at him and retreated back into the kitchen. I looked at him and ... well, I screamed. I know it wasn't the best reaction, but what would _you_ do if you saw that your Latin teacher was part farm animal?

Something was seriously wrong here. For one; he had no pants on. Two; where his legs were meant to be there was a pair of furry hind quarters and hooves. I back up against the wall, breathing heavily.

"Calm down Maia. Pack,"

"You... You're..." I stuttered wildly.

"Maia," he said firmly.

"Um, is that, like, a costume?" I said weakly, knowing full well that it wasn't.

"Maia Lightwood. You must pack," he repeated, louder this time.

I could hear the urgency in his voice, so I swallowed and nodded. In about a minute my world had been turned upside down. That was how pathetic my life was. I started to pack my clothes into my _Sportsgirl_ duffle bag, along with a couple other souvenirs.

Dad poked his head in again. "Come,"

I bit my lip and followed. Mr Gleeson leaped ahead, his hooves only touching the stair since on the way down. I cuddled myself into my blue hoodie. Dad pushed open the creaky door of the restaurant, lifting it up a little when it stubbornly refused to open. Dad won the battle of the door, and we stepped outside where Mr Gleeson was waiting. His furry legs were leaning against a bright purple car that had TAXI printed in yellow on the side, like a car that's a taxi wannabe. Meanwhile Mr Gleeson was casually devouring a tin can through teeth that really shouldn't have been able to chew it.

"Maia, get in the taxi," he said.

"What? You want me to follow a half donkey?" I retorted, my voice still shaking a little.

I was not following a... whatever he was, into a car alone. Dad gave me a stern look, but Mr Gleeson didn't seem fazed.

"Half goat actually. Some satyrs would trample you for such an insult," he replied calmly. "Just _please_ get in the taxi!"

I got in, or more like I was peer pressured by one person to get in. God, that doesn't make sense does it. Once in the car/taxi, I had a feeling things were going from bad, to worse.

"Satyr? Like from the myths?" I asked, racking my brain for anything I remembered from my history class.

"Yes, but do I _look_ like a myth?" he said incredulously, taking the wheel.

I sighed. "Ok, no,"

I turned over my shoulder at looked back desperately at Dad. He gave a small wave, but he too seemed to only just be holding it together. I could tell he was thinking the same thing. _We'd already lost half of the family, we shouldn't leave each other too. _I blinked back on coming tears and turned back to look at the road. The car lurched and squeaked as it took to the asphalt.

"Where are we going?" My voice was breaking.

"The only place safe for half-bloods,"

"Half-bloods as in Demigods?" I queried, hoping that asking stuff would take my mind off leaving.

"Yes. Camp Half-Blood,"

Wow. Now he just made me feel like some sort of half breed. Hold on. Did that mean that my mom wasn't mortal? My stomach lurched just as much as the wannabe taxi. I gave a furtive glance at Mr Gleeson, but his face showed that discussion was over.

Most of the trip was in silence. I looked at my reflection in the window, terrified eyes, and a sharp angled face. It was hard to tell in the reflection but I was pretty sure my skin was a lot paler. Basically, I looked a mess. My clothes were torn and I'm not sure where my shoes had gone. I wanted to go home, but I couldn't. Everything had changed.

"Maia, don't look out the window," said Mr. Gleeson suddenly

Naturally, I looked out the window, and that was my _first_ mistake. A monster was peering in at me. Not just your typical spiky monster, but a monster with nine necks, each topped with it's own scaly snake head, and I _hated_ snakes.

"What _is_ that?" I squeaked.

"I vaguely remember telling you not to look,"

I rolled my eyes, but my heart wasn't in it. I was terrified. "But what is that thing?"

"A Hydra. If you were stupid enough to cut off a head, two more would grow in it's place." he said, somehow managing to be calm.

"Oh, because I was _totally _thinking of doing that." I said sarcastically, smiling weakly.

He floored it. I decided this car definitely couldn't be normal, because I doubted any car could go that fast. I was sure that the speed cameras must have been going crazy. I could hear the clicking of claws on the road pounding after us. Suddenly the Hydra lunged for the tyres and the taxi screeched to a halt as the tyres deflated with a sharp hiss.

"Was that meant to happen?" I asked, trembling.

"Erm, no. But the magical barrier is just at that pine tree over there, it protects the camp from monsters. The Hydra won't be able to cross it. You'll be safe there. When I open the door run straight to the pine tree and you'll be safe." he told me, and expression of terror crossing his face for a split second, but was then replaced with scary calmness.

He was speaking that rapid machine gun fire way of his, which always took me a few seconds decipher. My head was about to explode. Hydra? Magical barrier? Demigod? When he was either History teacher, or goat dude, he was confusing.

"And you?" I said, hoping he wouldn't go and commit suicide for me or something because that was the way it was looking.

"I'll be following." he said grimly.

That's when the car door came ripping off its hinges.

"Run!" he yelled.

I ran. Blood trickled from a new cut above my eye, emitting a large amount of oozing liquid, but I kept running. My sneaker caught on a branch and I was pulled back. I heard the clattering of claws behind me. I tugged my foot desperately. The branch won and my sneaker came flying off the branch as well as my foot. I followed its fall as it landed right in the eye of one of the scaly monster heads. The Hydra hissed and shook the shoe of it's face. Great. Now I'd made it angry. Not pausing to cover my foot, I continued running. Small rocks and twigs cut my bare foot as I sprinted to the tree, it's bristly leaves swaying in the wind. I heard someone shout out, and went to turn around but I remembered Mr Gleeson words. Run. Black spots danced over my eyes. I saw a big house, with honey suckle growing around it. A pretty thing in the midst of a crisis. For everything that was going on, the cottage seemed out of place. That house was the last thing I saw, before I blacked out.


	2. Chapter 2

**A / N: **Thanks to those who have bothered reading the last chapter! This one kinda long, so I hope you have time for it all. Please review!

**Disclaimer: **Ah, the wonders of owning a book really are fabulous. I have none of those wonders.

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2

The first time I woke, I was on a soft bed, with feather filled pillows. The sharp end of a feather poked out of the pillow and tickled my cheek in an annoying fashion. There was a girl with reddish brown hair leaning over me. She was feeding me some sort of pudding that tasted like cinnamon with a small wooden spoon.

"What happened? Where's Mr. Gleeson?" she asked frantically, her big brown eyes flickering over my face wildly.

"I'm sorry. I don't know," I mumbled sleepily.

There was a knock on the door. The girl hastily fed me more pudding.

I woke many times before I was conscious for good. When I was properly awake, there was a face looming over me. The face had kind, twinkling eyes, and thinning curly brown hair.

"She's awake!" the middle aged man called over his shoulder.

I slowly sat up. I was no longer in the room I had been fed pudding in, but in what looked like the house I had seen before I passed out. I was on a leather upholstered couch in a small old-fashioned looking room. There was a small poker table in the corner, where cards were still lying face down.

"Who are you?" I asked the man.

"I'm Chiron," he told me.

Only when he stood up did I see that he was a white stallion from the waist down. A centaur. I wasn't really surprised to see another half barnyard animal, but still.

"Drink this," he handed me a drink that looked a bit like apple juice, with ice-blocks and a little paper umbrella. I drank it. It tasted just like the buttery popcorn that my dad would make when Emma and I used to sit down to watch a movie. It pumped energy through me and suddenly I wasn't the least bit tired.

"It's nectar and ambrosia. How do you feel?" Chiron asked.

"Like I could run all the way-" I broke off. I was about to say _home_, except I knew that wasn't a option. I stood up.

"Well, I wouldn't risk giving you anymore. Have too much and you could burn up. Literally," he took the glass gingerly in his fingers.

"Do you know what you are?" Chiron asked.

Normally I might have taken offence, but I knew what he meant.

"A demigod. Half god, half human, right?" I replied glumly.

"Correct. One of your parents is one of the twelve gods of Olympus,"

By this I guess he was saying that all the stories, all the Greek myths, all the ones we learnt about, were real? Though I guess after Mr Gleeson, it didn't really surprise me.

"My mum," I said quietly. It was the only thing that made sense, seeing as I'd never seen her. Greek god. Wow. This day just got even worse. Some part of me felt like this was some sort of sick joke though the expression on Chiron's face was complete seriousness.

"Well at least this one believes us. Ha! The last one said there was no such thing!" boomed a man with curly black hair and a tiger patterned Hawaiian shirt, who must have only just walked in.

"Hello, Mr. D," Chiron said wearily.

"Wait, Mr. D for Dionysus? The wine dude?" I asked.

"The next person that calls me _the wine dude _will most certainly be turned into a dolphin. Yes, of course I'm Dionysus. Who did you think I was? The Minotaur?" said Mr. D, like it was obvious that he was a god. A god in Hawaiian tiger shirt. Why had I not realised.

"Give her a break, she only just woke up. Maia, Mr. D is the camp director. But what we need to know is, who is your godly parent?"

"How do you know me?" I inquired, suspicious.

"Oh, right. Sorry," Chiron blushed slightly. "We've kept in contact with your Dad ever since you were born. We have to keep track of all new Demigods, see, because it could be dangerous,"

"I think you've got the wrong person. I'm just a messed up kid with ADHD," I said shakily.

"Maia, you are not just an average teen, and your ADHD is actually your battle reflexes. You get that from your mum," Chiron said, cutting me off.

I looked down. I believed him, I just wished I didn't. If I didn't it would make it so much easier. Though the ADHD thing is alright, as in battle reflexes.

"Now we just ne-" he broke off abruptly, his hand flying to his mouth.

A swirl of mist surrounded me. I coughed and waved my hand through the white fog like a loser, squinting my eyes. I couldn't see anything, but I felt like something was happening to me. I rose my hand to my face. Before my eyes, the grit under my nails disappeared and gold nail polish painted itself on my nails. When the mist cleared completely, both Chiron and Mr. D were staring at me, mouths open. I looked down, almost hesitantly, and then realised why they were staring. I was dressed in a flowing, knee length blue dress that matched my eyes, my hair had been done in a beautiful braid across my shoulder, and I looked like I had had a makeup job. Oh my god, this is embarrassing. Well, now I've got to take back what I said about nothing surprising me. I stared at the dusty mirror in the corner, wide eyed.

"Aphrodite," Chiron said, shooting a glance at Mr. D.

Um, did he just say Aphrodite? Aphrodite did the swirly mist thing? My mom is awesome! I smiled, but then faltered. That meant my mum must be the goddess of love. That explains a lot. How girls have always been jealous of me and the boys always... well let's not talk about _that_. Just one Seamus was enough for me. My head was pounding. It didn't make sense, and all these people... Maybe this was just some big practical joke. This was all just too much. I didn't want this. A blonde, husky guy, like a surfer, walked in at that moments. His eyes looked at me. More than one hundred eyes. He had them everywhere, his hands, legs, arms, cheeks. I sat down with a bump as black crept in at my vision.

"I feel dizzy," I said, before slumping to the ground.

I blinked spots from my vision. I was lying on a fold out bed in a small, cramped room. I sat up slowly. My head was aching and my joints felt stiff and cramped. Unfortunately, that little make over spell that Aphrodite had done, hadn't worn off. I took in my surroundings. The room was filled with beds and random duffel bags, like too many people had tried to sleep in the same room at once. In the corner was a squashy bed covered with different patterned blankets piled on top of each other. On that bed was a boy that looked about my age. His messy brown hair, so dark it looked almost black, shielded his eyes as he bent over a small work table. A slight splattering of freckles showered his nose. Normally I was never one to go for boys, but I had to admit, he was _really _hot. I bit my lip, smiling, but then flushed with embarrassment. I couldn't care about these things, not now. I gathered up the courage to ask, "Where am I?"

The boy looked up. His eyes were a startlingly bright green, the sort of eyes you wanted to stare into forever. "You're in Camp Half-Blood. Chiron dropped you off last night,"

"Oh,"

Well that just shattered my hopes of this all being one big dream.

He held out his hand. "Leo. Son of Hermes,"

So the gods thing was real, or at least he believed it.

Leo laughed. "Sorry about the mess. Dad's the god of all people on the road so..."

I smiled nervously. "Don't worry. I'm used to it,"

At home my room wasn't much better, except replace the bags with pillows and the twenty beds with fluffy blankets.

He smiled back, but then stopped abruptly. "Chiron told me to take you to the Big House when you woke up,"

I nodded, a little disappointed. What I really wanted to do was just curl up into to a ball and never leave, but I followed Leo.

The Big House was basically the house that I woke up in. Real creative name right? Leo opened the door and I stepped inside. Chiron and Mr. D were playing poker at the poker table, though Chiron had somehow compacted his lower horse half into a wheel chair. Oh. My. God. How did he do that? I shook my head to clear it. I'd ask him later. On the couch there was a girl that also looked about my age who was twirling a fan between her fingers. She had shoulder length golden blonde hair, warm brown eyes, and an extremely freckled face. I sat next to her, waiting for Chiron.

Chiron nodded to Leo, so he closed the door and left. Chiron wheeled his chair around to face me.

"You're... In a wheel chair!" I said nervously.

"This house is a little too small for a horse don't you think?"

"I... I guess so,"

"Good," he clapped his hands together. "You remember our conversation from last night?"

"Yes," I answered cautiously.

"It is rather rude to pass out on someone like that you know," Mr. D added.

"Dionysus!" Chiron scolded.

Mr. D sighed. "I still think she would be better off as a dolphin,"

I swallowed. This guy should have been the god of dolphins, though being drunk sort of suited his personality.

"Anyway," Chiron continued. "As comfortable the as the Hermes cabin might be, you can't stay with Leo and his siblings for ever. Also, sorry about earlier. Combined with the disturbing appearance of Argus' eyes and the huge amount of ambrosia and nectar you had, it was only natural for you to, well, pass out,"

Disturbing? That's an understatement. Immediately I felt embarrassed. Then I remembered the question I'd been thinking about. "So all the demigods that are Aphrodite's kids are my siblings? Even if we have different Dads?"

"In a matter of speaking, yes. Just like Audrey over here," he gestured to the girl I was sitting next to.

I turned around to Audrey, my eyes wide. "You're my sister?"

She grinned. "Yup. Some would say that's a bad thing, but I hope you don't mind,"

I nodded slowly. I wished they would just slow down with the info. They were just like 'Hey your mom is the goddess of love!', and then 'You've heaps of brothers and sisters too by the way, hope you don't mind!' Though from what I'd already seen, I guess I believed them.

"Audrey, would you be kind enough to take Maia to cabin ten for me?" he asked, already wheeling his chair back to the table.

"Sure thing," she replied, winking. Audrey turned to me, "Come on!"

Basically, that was when I got the tour of camp half-blood. There were satyrs like Mr. Gleeson everywhere, though they just wore the orange Camp Half-Blood t-shirts since they had fur for their legs. In the sandpit a couple of the satyrs were playing volley ball, and since they were part mountain goat, jumping up for the ball was no problem. I spotted a couple of tree nymphs around the place, cursing all the people that stepped on their plants. They looked almost normal, except they each had features from their corresponding plant. Audrey showed me around the assortment of Greek style buildings here and there. There was a tiny version of a coliseum which I later learnt was for practice fighting. I spotted the camps cabins nestled between the woods and the creek. The cabins were placed in a U shape, but none of them looked the same. Boys kept on getting all moony eyes on me, cos' of that stupid Aphrodite spell. Thanks Mom, you just made this so much more awkward. As we walked through the cabins, Audrey informed me that each cabin was for each god. The Ares cabin (Ares being the god of war) was badly painted red, with a huge boar head over the door and a barbed wire roof. I winced. The music was so loud that I wondered whether it had already popped the eardrums of the people inside. A head poked out the door,

"Watcha lookin' at, punk?"

Audrey stuck her tongue out and led me on, muttering under her breath. "Idiots,"

Apollo's cabin (number seven) was solid gold that glowed, either reflecting the sun's light or generating its own. It would've taken lot less work for that if they had just put up a sign saying _'Apollo is the sun god!'_

"Who's in that cabin?" I asked, pointing to a cabin with a big number two on the entrance.

"No one. Some of the cabins are empty. Lucky too. We'd be way too crowded. There's already enough hair tong stealers around here," Audrey replied grumpily.

"Why?" I said, trying to ignore the last part, but still confused, because that seemed to completely contradict what I had been thinking.

"Well, that's Hera's cabin. She's the goddess of marriage and family, so she can't just go off and have affairs with mortals. Her cabin is just honorary. And that one," she said, pointing to an all silver building with silver curtains. "That one is Artemis' cabin, also empty. She vowed to be a maiden forever, so no kids, but she'd skewer us if we didn't have a cabin. Same with Hades, Zeus and Poseidon. Those three made an oath not to have any more Demigods, as they are just too dangerous. And when they break the oath, well, you look at what happened to Thalia,"

My eyes widened. "Thalia, as in the pine tree?"

Originally I'd just thought that was the name that the camp had given the pine, but if it was actually a real person...

She nodded. "Uh huh. Thalia was a daughter of Zeus. Her and her friends were being taken to camp by their satyr, but monsters were chasing them. Thalia faced the monsters so that her friends could get to camp. When she lay there dying, Zeus took pity on her and turned her into a pine tree,"

I'll admit, I teared up a little. I wished I was that brave.

Looking back at the Artemis cabin, I tried to remember what I knew about her. Luckily Ancient Greek was something that I actually remembered from history, but that might have just been the demigod thing. Artemis. Goddess of the moon, and her brother Apollo, is the sun god. I stopped, staring at the children of Apollo, with their bows drawn, firing at targets. Quietly, I picked one of the bows up, it fitting roughly into my hand. Audrey turned around, realising that I had stopped.

In seeing the bow she rolled her eyes. "Bows. Hurts my shoulder,"

Noticing my questioning face, she added, "My shoulder is double jointed, that's why,"

She pulled me along. I trailed after her, shooting one last glance back at the archers. Then I looked at the Hermes cabin. From the outside, it was a badly built wooden cabin, with trampled floor. I remembered the crowded inside. A dozen kids were on the porch, waving at a boy with blonde hair and grey eyes as he turned away to cabin six. The blonde boy patted Leo on the back before waving.

"Why is it so...?" I trailed off.

"Scruffy?" Audrey volunteered.

I nodded, taking in the shabby appearance of the cabin with its peeling wall paper.

"Well," she started, so I prepared myself for a speech. "Hermes is the god of travelers, merchants, thieves, and all people on the road, right?"

I nodded again, but I still found it strange talking about the gods in present tense.

"So that's why when at camp half-blood if your godly parent hasn't claimed you, you stay at the Hermes cabin. Unfortunately that means the Hermes cabin is _always_ crowded. The cabin is in such bad shape because it's over populated,"

"Oh,"

I realised that the boy with blonde hair had probably just been claimed, and was leaving the Hermes cabin. It all seemed too much to take in. I turned around ticking off all the gods cabins on my fingers.

"Where's the Hades cabin?" I asked. I'd thought since Hades, the god of the underworld, was one of the important gods that he'd at least get a cabin.

"Hades' cabin... Well, it's kind of like how he's not allowed at Olympus except for the winter solstice, the darkest day of the year, isn't it?"

I looked back at her blankly, having no idea what she was saying.

She sighed. "It's almost as if he's outlawed. There would be no kids anyway, 'coz of his oath,"

"You should be in the Athena's cabin," I teased, hoping that I _did _get it right, and Athena _was_ the goddess of wisdom.

She laughed. "Not in a million years. Those people drive me nuts. Anyway, enough of me being the informational sidekick. Let's find our cabin,"

I silently agreed about the somewhat infuriating Athena kids, though it sounded a little harsh. I know Audrey seemed a little bossy, but there was something really likeable about Audrey in her carefree way. Then I spotted someone that made my brain do a flip. I could spot that pot-bellied old goat from a mile away.

"Mr. Gleeson! You're... well... walking!" I exclaimed, sprinting up to the scruffy old satyr.

His leg was heavily bandaged, but the other leg seemed to of taken pride of being his sole support.

Mr. Gleeson chuckled. "Yes. That Hydra gave me a pretty bad cracked hoof. But look at you! I've waited to see you at camp for a long time now,"

I was grinning madly. Even thought he was, or used to be, my Latin teacher, I'd been worried about what happened to him. He nodded to Audrey. "How's the hair?"

"How's the reed pipes?" She replied, smiling. They obviously had some running joke.

He patted me on the back, though it felt more like a slap. "Well, you should get back to... Whatever you're doing,"

"Right." Audrey confirmed. "Maia, this is our stop,"

I looked around aimlessly, not sure where I was meant to be looking.

She sighed. "You are _so_ hopeless,"

She turned my body around by the shoulders so that I was facing cabin ten. _My_ cabin. It was a wooden cabin with a painted blue roof and pillars, a checkerboard deck with steps and pale blue walls. It also had an aura of designer perfume. A couple of girls in short pleated skirts and tights were no doubt gossiping on the porch. Audrey led me through the colourful door and into the cabin. This was a cabin for neat freaks. Here in Aphrodite's cabin, we liked things to be pretty. That was fine by me. The cabin had bunk beds that lined the walls, each obviously occupied. Many had stuck up posters of their favourite celebrities and stuff. Only a few had photos of their families. Looking through the bathroom door, I could see draws littered with hair curlers, magazines, make-up and pocket mirrors. A pretty girl with mousey brown hair and grey-blue eyes was sitting on her bottom bunk, applying a fresh layer of foundation.

She looked up and smiled. "Hi. I'm Megan. Meg for short,"

"I'm Maia," I replied, not sure what else to say.

Audrey broke the silence. "So, Maia, you were out a couple of days. Hmmm, what did you miss ... A rugby team won a game, and a baseball team lost. A model wore a dress that revealed a body imperfection, and another celebrity has gone into rehab. You can't drop out like that Maia. You miss too much,"

Meg and I laughed.

"Anyway, this bunk over here's yours," Audrey said, with a half giggle.

She was gesturing to the top bunk of a bed positioned near the corner.

"Welcome home,"

I climbed up the creaky steel ladder up to my bunk. The now my wall looked strangely bare compared to the others. Clean flannel sheets were folded neatly at the end of the bare mattress and two white cushions leaned against the wall. My bag was sitting neatly at the end, as if it was trying to make you forget that its fabric was in tatters. Someone must've taken it from the car. Or what was left of the car. I hoped that the poor wannabe taxi had insurance. I unzipped the remaining part of the bag, looking for some piece of hope that I could cling to. Audrey levered her way up to sit on my bed.

"Just unpack the essentials. You know, hair tongs, handbags, posters,"

I snorted. "And those were totally high on my essentials list,"

Audrey looked befuddled. I couldn't be bothered to tell her. I slipped my hand into the small pocket at the bottom of my bag and pulled out a photo. It was of Emma, my Dad and I in front of the entrance to Disney Land. I was beaming like mad, my hair tangled in the wind, with Emma on my shoulders. I bit my lip. Grabbing a piece of blue tack, I stuck it the middle of the bare space on the wall.

Snapping me out of my thoughts, Audrey mumbled, "After lunch classes are starting now. We better go,"

I grimaced. "What's first up?"

Audrey sighed. "Arts and crafts,"

Arts and crafts. That wouldn't be too bad would it? I followed Audrey to a small Greek style building with long tables lining the walls. My jaw dropped. When I thought of Arts and craft, I thought of paint and paper. This was completely different. Some satyrs were making a huge statue of their long lost Lord of the wild, and a couple of Ares kids were making a clay replica of a ten foot tall sword. I noticed that some of the Hermes kids were discretely slipping clay into their pockets, but I didn't have the heart to call them out. I swallowed. Okay. I could handle this. Maybe. Audrey flounced over to sit next to Meg and some other Aphrodite kids. I joined them, still looking around the... well, I guess now I could call it a work place. Meg introduced me to a couple others like her; Emily, Ariana, and Katie. They were nice enough, but all they wanted to talk about was the latest trends and how cute this guy from Hephaestus was. From what I'd seen so far, I was nothing like Aphrodite was. No one else on the table was doing anything, but I decided to grab a paper and pencil. My hand flew over the page, lines curving in graceful, sketchy arcs. While I drew some part of me was still listening to the others. Now they were talking about nail polish colours. Still not interested.

"Why are you drawing with your left hand?" asked Katie, flipping her fringe in a dumb blonde sort of way.

"I'm left handed," I answered, shrugging.

Meg lent over my shoulder. "Anyway, you are a really good drawer Maia,"

"Who is that?" said Audrey, leaning in next to Megan.

I looked back at what I had drawn. It was Emma, laughing and giggling like she always did. I hadn't even realised I'd been drawing her.

"No one," I lied, tucking the drawing further into my body.

I didn't want to tell anyone about Emma. Not yet, anyway.

The rest of the day went on, and I took Ancient Greek and Combat training with Audrey. It was weird to always be talking about the gods with present tense, and all these people not even questioning it. What I found, was that at Camp Half-Blood, it was really obvious when you didn't fit in. Everyone seemed to know their place and what their job was. Everyone except for me.

Audrey nudged me. "Dinner time,"

We headed off to the dining pavilion like a little pack of gossip girls, all sitting at the same little picnic table. A crackling fire sat in the middle of the pavilion, warming our backs. I spotted Leo at sitting with a bunch of kids all with the same blonde hair and grey eyes. Immediately I wondered what he'd done that day. A warning bell went off in my head. _God Maia, _I scolded myself. _What is wrong with you__?_ Leo looked over, catching my eye. _We're not going to be anything more than friends at the most, _I decided. I served myself quietly, taking in the atmosphere. Suddenly everyone started standing up and moving towards the fire.

"What are they doing?" I whispered to Audrey.

"Making an offering to the gods," she replied quietly, also standing up.

I stood up too, and followed them to the fire. Audrey scraped a portion of her meal into the fire murmuring, "For Aphrodite,"

Then it was my turn. I scraped off half my steak and also murmured, "For Aphrodite,"

The steak sizzled up into smoke. I hadn't thought all those foods put together would smell good, but the smoke of the fire smelled deeeelicious.

After all the campers had sat back down, Mr. D stood up.

"Settle down you brats. You get too much food anyway. Leo," He glared pointedly at a boy sitting at the Athena table. The same boy that I woke up to. With the same messy brown hair and green eyes... _Snap out of it, _said the voice from the back of my head.

Mr. D continued on. "Get back to your own cabin's table. You know the rules. Or perhaps you like dolphins?"

"Dionysus," Chiron said warningly, as Leo sheepishly moved back to the Hermes table.

Mr. D sighed. "Well anyway, don't be late for tomorrow's lessons, unless you're leaving and never coming back, which would be preferable. Remember curfew, and if you don't... well, the harpies are hungry,"

He sat back down. As we started to eat, the chatter broke out again.

"Mr. D must really hate it here," I said to Audrey.

Audrey nodded earnestly. "He does. He was sentenced to a hundred years here from Zeus for chasing for chasing an off limits wood nymph,"

I whistled. "Harsh,"

Audrey shrugged and kept on eating.

That night, the camp had a camp fire sing along, led by the Apollo cabin. At first the Demeter cabin led, but all they wanted to do was sing about agriculture, so we thought since Apollo was also the god of poetry, that the Apollo cabin would do better. They did, a little bit, and you could always tell if they were doing better from the fire. The flames were enchanted, so the louder you were the larger the fire was, and the fire changed colours to reflect the mood of the campers. Audrey told me that she once saw it fifty feet tall and bright purple. Audrey and I had stuck together through the whole week. She and I are complete opposites, but I guess that's what I like about her. We even _look_ opposites. She has her shoulder length blonde hair, warm brown eyes and freckles, and I have my long black hair, electric blue eyes, and not really any... well, you get the point.

When we went back to our cabin, I got to meet Sylvia, another daughter of Aphrodite. Let's just say it didn't go very well. She is the number one snob of our cabin, and she just happens to be the cabin leader.

"Hey Meg," Sylvia sneered, flouncing in to the cabin.

"Hi," Meg muttered.

"Pass the mirror," Sylvia ordered.

Meg looked up at her defiantly. "No,"

"Pass the mirror," Sylvia growled again, in a dangerous sort voice.

Meg's eyes glazed over slightly, and she passed the mirror. Sylvia smiled sweetly then stalked into the bathroom. Meg's eyes went back to normal and she cursed Sylvia under her breath. My heart stopped in my chest.

"What did she do?" I said, stricken.

"Charmspeak. It's a special power some kids of Aphrodite get," Meg rolled her eyes. "That's why Sylvia was elected cabin leader. That dumb blonde brat,"

Audrey looked hurt.

"Nothing against blonde hair," Meg corrected hastily.

I looked down. This place was a lot more complicated then I'd thought.

"I'm going to wash up," I said quietly.

Audrey nodded sadly. "Me too,"

I walked into the bathroom where Sylvia was washing off her supposedly water proof make-up.

"What ya doing, newbie?" Sylvia sneered, nudging me so hard I almost fell over.

"Shut up," I muttered. I knew better than to provoke Sylvia.

Sylvia opened her mouth, but Audrey shouldered her way in.

"Hey vain Jane," Audrey teased. Sylvia glared at Audrey. Audrey seemed to be the only one so far that stood up to Sylvia, and I'm guessing Sylvia didn't really have that many good comebacks up her sleeve.

"Thanks," I murmured, as Sylvia strutted off fuming.

"Well, don't you see?" Audrey said exasperatedly. "She's _jealous_,"

Annoying Sylvia seemed to of put Audrey in a good mood.

I raised my eyebrows. "_Jealous_?"

"Yes. If you hadn't noticed, everyone hates Sylvia. But everyone likes you," she explained, before adding, "Those eyes brows are perfectly shaped, by the way,"

I rolled my eyes, smiling. "People don't just like others for looks you know,"

I took the next day easy, waking up only just in time for my lessons, the Aphrodite spell had only _just _worn off. Combat class was first, and though Audrey firmly persisted in me not taking up archery, it was still fun. Chiron had matched me up with this celestial bronze sword. He'd said that celestial bronze is deadly to monsters, but won't harm mortals as they're just not important enough to kill. Since I'm half god and half mortal I can be harmed by celestial bronze and normal metals. Yay. More things can kill me. I picked up the sword, and the hilt slid neatly into my hand. I felt like I'd been using swords all my life. My fingers brushed the hilt and felt a chip. Well, I thought it was a chip. I looked down and saw a little Greek style engraving indented into the metal. I squinted my eyes, trying to figure out what it was, but Audrey pulled me away to start practicing.

"Woah!" said Audrey, when I disarmed her for what seemed like the 50th time. "You really know how to use a sword!"

"Thanks," I breathed.

"You're using your left hand," she noted.

I rolled my eyes. "I told you. I'm left handed,"

"Right. Anyway, you're good!"

I guess she was right, and swords was something I liked, because for once I was getting a choice on what to learn. A couple of the other kids from Aphrodite were having trouble just _holding_ their sword. They'd pick it up and then drop it quickly, like it was a burning poker, shaking their hand vigorously. Soon I had a reputation as the third best sword fighter in the whole camp, the first and second being from the Hermes cabin. It was kind of a surprise for other people though. The other campers had a stereo type for the children of Aphrodite being lazy fashionistas. They don't really expect much from us, though I suppose their stereo type is true for most of us (hello, Sylvia).

"What's next?" I panted, coming from the exhausting session we'd just had.

At this Audrey looked just plain terrified. "The climbing wall,"

I looked at her quizzically. Climbing walls weren't all that bad, as long as you wore the appropriate clothing, though I guess Audrey didn't really do appropriate clothing. "What's so bad about the climbing wall?"

She squeezed her eyes shut. "It's not the wall, it's me. I'm afraid of heights. Like, really afraid,"

"Hey, it won't be that bad," I said sympathetically.

I followed her across the camp, cos' I was still getting used to the camps layout. When I saw the wall, I stopped dead. This was _not_ your typical climbing wall. This wall consisted of two cliff faces that had rocks falling down, poured lava, and if you didn't get to the too fast enough, the two walls would bang together and smoosh you flat. I admit, I was trembling a little. Maybe telling Audrey that it wouldn't be that bad wasn't exactly truthful.

"Are you sure it's safe?" I squeaked.

"Mainly," Audrey looked up at the wall apprehensively. "We've had no deaths so far,"

"So far..." I trailed off, eyeing the wall. "I am only sixteen, Audrey. _Sixteen,"_

She shrugged. "Same, but it's not like we have a choice,"

I chewed my lip. One by one the campers slowly began to climb. I was wincing every time each camper fell off, each time they all staggered off supporting minor burns. All too soon Audrey was saying, "Your turn,"

I swore nervously, and started walking up to the wall. The problem was, I couldn't just take it slow to avoid the lava and rocks, cos' then I'd become a pancake with extra syrup. Even though my brain was screaming otherwise, I began to climb. I nimbly put one foot after the other in yet another crack, and to my surprise, I moved swiftly up the wall. A looming rock fell towards me, and my eyes widened. I lurched to the side to avoid it and lost my footing. I heard Audrey gasp from below. I was somehow still hanging on by my fingertips. I pulled myself up, my fingers shaking. Beads of sweat gathered on my forehead. That night the Hydra might as well of caught up with me, since it would only make me die sooner rather than later. Slowly, I resumed climbing. Suddenly the walls lurched closer to each other until I could feel the other wall brushing against my back. In surprise I bolted up the wall. A jet of molten lava poured out from a crevice next to me which splashed out on to my shoulder. I bit my lip so hard that it bled to keep from crying out. I looked up to see that I was only a metre away from the top. The other wall was now digging into my shoulder blade. Stiff with pain, I planted my right foot on the other wall and shimmied my way up. I heaved myself onto the top of the wall and collapsed. From far down below. I could hear Audrey cheering. I hauled myself into a sitting position to peer over the edge and saw that I was a good thirty feet high. Down below I could see a familiar brown head watching me. Really? Leo was there watching me, and grinning like crazy. He was _always_ grinning. Must be nice to have such good a life. I finally found a rickety ladder on the back side of the wall which I climbed down. I stood back to watch Audrey climb, and I hate to say it, but it was pretty amusing. Shriek after shriek came from the wall as yet another piece of designer clothing was burnt it a crisp. One time she made the mistake of looking down, and her eyes widened in horror. She was clinging on to the wall, her eyes squeezed shut. All in all, she didn't make it to the top. She staggered towards me, coughing and panting.

"You did well," she puffed.

"You did too," I replied, the corner of my mouth twitching.

Audrey sighed. "Don't try to lie on my part. I did terribly,"

"Your clothes agree," I said, stifling a laugh.

She looked mournfully down at her singed, tattered dress. "Climbing was never my sort of thing," she muttered.

"At least this gives you a fresh excuse to go shopping," I pointed out, trying to lift her spirits.

"Oh," she brightened up. "Right. I'll get my wallet and, um, handbag ready,"

And that was how my, what, second, day being conscious at camp went. Me staggering into bed with a bandaged right shoulder.

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**A / N: **Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

**A / N: **Okay chapter, here goes …

**Disclaimer: **Unless I instigate a large amount of bribery, I will never own the Percy Jackson series.

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3

A couple days later, I'd walked out of the cabin just because the scent of perfume was getting too overwhelming, but something in the camp just didn't seem right. No satyrs were playing volleyball, no nymphs were melting out of the trees. Then I saw the cause of the stillness. The Hydra. It had come back. Nine heads and all. All the campers were milling around it, swords drawn and battle armour on, but not sure whether to attack. The satyrs were all huddled near the Big House, and the nymphs hadn't dared venture from the safety of the trees. For a moment I stood there in shock, but then I snapped back to my senses. I drew the sword that I'd strapped to my thigh. I silently thanked Chiron for telling me to keep a weapon on me at all times. I had no armour on, but really, that wasn't my biggest problem. The nine headed monster was my biggest problem. Everyone around me were skirting around the monster, still unsure on how to attack. With a nudge from Audrey, I figured that I was going to have to take charge.

"Audrey," I murmured, trying to keep quiet so we wouldn't immediately at track the Hydra's attention. "You attack from the front, I'll get it from behind,"

"Ok," she muttered back. "On three. 1,"

I started to sneak around the back of the Hydra.

"2,"

I planted my feet ready to spring.

"3!" she shouted the last number.

She charged and I leaped on to its back from behind. Two things I learnt in doing that. Hydra's can spit poison. Also, trying to dodge to four heads while the other five are attacking Audrey is no easy task. The Hydra shot a jet of acid goo at my head, and I ducked, hoping that it hadn't hit anyone behind me. Other people were joining in the fight, stabbing and slashing where ever they could, but still dodging the magical spit. I grabbed on to one of the Hydra's scaly necks, but just as I did, someone cut off the head.

"No!" I yelled, but it was too late.

I backed up so I wouldn't fall off. Just as the head was dispatched, the stump of neck hissed as two more head grew, the scales blending together perfectly. Someone screamed. I saw a limp body lying on the ground. Oh no. I hoped selfishly that it wasn't someone I knew. The fact that someone had got hurt, or worse, filled my head with just one thought. We've gotta beat it. I had a wild idea. I unstrapped my belt and wrapped it around one of the Hydra's slimy necks as a make shift pair of reins. In my defence, I was under pressure, wild ideas come to me when I'm like that. I somehow steered it to the climbing wall without turning into a sticky green puddle. One of the heads slammed against the wall, causing a jet of lava to burst out. I sliced off the head, and the lava burned the stump before more heads could grow. I stared in amazement. I might just win this battle. I steered the next head into the lava, following by decapitating it. Now two heads lay limply on the ground. Ew. The Hydra sort of reared up and hissed. I lost my seat and was dangling from the two ends of my leather-plaited belt. _God that belt was strong_. I hauled myself up again, my feet scrambling for a good footing on the slippery scales. Head after head I burnt and sliced off. I hurt in muscles that I didn't even know I had. Finally the last head was dispatched. A horrible wailing sound filled the air as the Hydra burst into dust. For moment I wondered why, until I started free falling to the ground. Luckily I wasn't very high up. I landed on my feet. The ground of campers that had been stabbing and slashing were now staring at me in awe. Leo was among the kids, and he made a move as if to step forward, but then thought better of it.

I scanned the crowd, wiping sweat from my forehead. "Where's Audrey?"

No one answered. A couple of people looked down at their feet. A sense of dread welled up inside my chest.

"Where is she?" I repeated.

The boy with the blonde hair from Athena pointed straight to the limp body on the ground. I felt like he had just slapped me. I choking slightly, I ran up to the limp slim figure on the ground.

"Audrey!" I choked out a sob.

She was lying down, her limbs splayed at odd angles, blood flowing from a wound on her leg. I checked her pulse and with relief felt that it was still beating. She was still alive all right, but what seemed like some sort of coma. I felt as if a giant lump had come and settled in my throat. From what seemed like far away to my ears I heard hooves pound the ground behind me. Chiron had galloped up.

"What happened?" he said with a grim expression on his face.

"It bit her." someone said stupidly from behind me.

I was suddenly filled with uncontrollable rage. It was like the campers didn't even care. They acted like she was hurt only because she was just another weakling from cabin ten, when really, she was braver than all of them put together in that battle. But anyway, where was Chiron that whole time? He should of been helping, except he just comes out now like, _what have I missed?_

He looked at me and I glared back. My stare must've looked pretty evil because he turned away. Chiron rounded up the best healers from Apollo's cabin and proceeded to carry her away on a stretcher. I watched, my feet rooted to the spot as the door of the Big House shut behind them. Finally I turned away, not daring to let myself look at her slumped body. I didn't see her for the rest of the day. That gave me time to think. How in Hades could the Hydra of gotten through the magical border of Thalia's pine tree?

"Silence!" Chiron yelled over the noise at the campfire that night. The noise subsided.

"Blabbering half-bloods," said Mr. D, not bothering to speak quietly.

"I am here to announce a quest," Chiron continued, pretending not to of heard.

At once the excited chattering broke out again. A quest? At camp, those things didn't really grow on trees.

Chiron sighed, exasperatedly. He looked pointedly at Sylvia. She murmured something and immediately quiet fell. Charmspeak. God I hate her. Chiron's eyes flashed her a quick thank you.

"As you may know, Audrey was bitten by a Hydra today," he continued, but at the end, his voice broke.

It was easy for him to say. He just sat back and relaxed while all of us were fighting it.

"There is only one cure for a Hydra bite. A seed from a mogodorian fruit. Mogodorian fruit trees are heavily guarded so it will be a difficult task. To obtain one of the fruits will require much skill, so a quest is needed," he paused, just to draw out the suspense. I hate it when people do that.

"Leo, do accept this quest?" he said finally.

My heart skipped a beat. He'd be good at the quest, I decided. He's a son of Hermes, the god of thieves, so that meant he was crafty enough get his way through. He wasn't big and burly like some of the other Hermes kids, which I liked. Leo looked surprised that he was chosen, but determined all the same.

"Yes," he replied.

"Then you must consult the Oracle of Delphi,"

My brow furrowed. From what I'd heard, the Oracle was this mummy thing that lived in the attic of the Big House. It was meant to give you a prophecy about your quest. I didn't really see how a prophecy from a dead person could help.

Slowly the camp broke up into their separate cabins and got ready for bed. Everyone in the camp was talking about the new quest. This girl from the Ares cabin was even crying that she didn't get picked. Me? I stayed outside, watching the sunset, while people in my cabin were squabbling and yelling stuff like, _Hey! Who took my hair tongs?_ and, _Where's my poster of Tristan McLean?_ Stupid stuff like that. I admit, I kind of hated being a daughter of Aphrodite. No one would take me seriously, they' dust think. I was one of those dumb pretty girls. After what Audrey had told me, and the effect I'd had in class, I'd tried to play down the effects, wearing tattered jeans, a short grey top, and some purple sneakers, but I kept the braid and earrings. Judging by the looks some of the other boys were giving me, it hadn't worked. Daughter of the love goddess. It was still sinking in. If someone had told me I was a Demigod two days ago, I would've of called them a liar, after asking what the hell that was. Now everything had changed. I looked up at the attic window. It looked empty as ever, radiating gloominess. Though I still knew the Oracle was there somewhere...

"Maia," said a voice from straight behind me.

I whisked around, my hand on my sword, only to see Chiron with the blonde boy I recognised from the Athena cabin.

"You scared me," I said, relaxing.

Chiron gave a small smile.

"This is Jack," he said, gesturing to the boy. "You two, come with me,"

I followed him to the Big House in silence. I cast a sideways glance at Jack to say, _do you know what's going on? _He gave a shrug in response.

Chiron pushed open the creaky door of the house. As he walked/trotted (I guess horses _do _walk) inside, he smoothly changed from centaur to wheelchair. When Jack and I got inside I saw that Leo was there, sitting at a table with Mr. D. For once I saw Leo not grinning. Actually, he looked pretty shaken.

"Take a seat," Chiron told us.

We sat down nervously. I still wasn't really sure on why I was there, but I had a suspicion.

"Maia, Jack," he said, nodding at both of us in turn. "Leo was allowed to choose two companions to go on the quest with him. He chose you two. Do you accept?"

My heart froze. He wanted _me _on the quest? Why? I don't even know him. I'm just an un-extraordinary girl of those of Aphrodite. I guess maybe my sword stuff, but seriously, I'd only been here about two weeks. Also, I hadn't spoken to either Jack or Leo before in my life. Though a little part of me also felt proud. It was right. Audrey was _my_ friend. It made sense that I should go.

"Yes," Jack and I both stammered.

"Good," Chiron clapped his hands together. He turned to Leo. "What did the Oracle say exactly?"

Leo hesitated. "It said;

_You will find what you set out to collect,_

_a part of your heart you will resurrect._

_Set out across to achieve your goal,_

_forced to travel like a giant mole,"_

The resentment in his voice unnerved me.

"And?" Chiron asked.

"That's all I could remember,"

I could tell he was holding something back, and that Chiron knew it too, but he didn't push it.

"Well it said we'll find the fruit didn't it? That's one good thing," Jack said, trying to raise the spirits.

After a slight moment of tension, Leo turned to Chiron, his eyes still a little wild. "What does it mean?"

"Don't try to decipher the words of the Oracle too much, child. They are best left unclear," Chiron said kindly.

Leo ran his hands through his already rumpled hair in frustration while Jack and I sat in silence. _A part of your heart you will resurrect_, huh? Confused, all right. But a quest? What was all that about? I'd only been here for a couple of weeks... I glanced at Leo, but he seemed to be avoiding my gaze.

"Well, you should get to bed," Chiron said, breaking the silence.

I was grateful. Given what had happened that day, I was exhausted. I got up and pushed in my chair, which stubbornly insisted on making the loudest scraping noise ever. We filed out of the Big House, and went off to our separate cabins. I pushed open my cabin door softly and for once everyone else in the cabin was asleep. I climbed up my bunk and saw that someone had put piles of blue fluffy blankets for me to sleep under. I smiled. All the other nights I'd just slept with a sheet, though I'd never really minded. This and the peace and quiet of the cabin meant that for the first time I could sleep as peacefully as a Half-Blood can. But that I meant that I _always_ got dreams, mostly nightmares. Megan had told me that when Demigods get dreams, we can see what's happening else, or get warnings and that sort of stuff, just in dreams. That night was no exception. I had the worst nightmare yet.

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**A / N: **S'il vous plaît examen! (That's 'please review' in French)


	4. Chapter 4

**A / N: **I know I haven't posted in ages, I just haven't found the motivation to write recently. I will get back on track. Promise.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Percy Jackson series at all. *cough * Um, I mean, of course I do!

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4

I was woken up early that morning for the quest. Jack, Leo and Chiron were already outside, so I hastily got dressed in the dark, and only after five tries did I realise that I was trying to put my foot through the sleeve of my jumper. After putting all the clothes on the right body parts and hastily brushing my hair, I went to meet them. Chiron gave me a grey backpack with spare changes of my clothes (I'm guessing that was due to Audrey, and if it wasn't, I don't want to know), toiletries, 20 golden drachmas each (the currency of the gods and alike), some mortal money, nectar and ambrosia squares, six bottles of water, and a pack of food to last us two weeks. Jack was leaning over a book, his shaggy blonde hair shielding his storm grey eyes, the typical appearance of a child of Athena. Leo was twiddling a pencil between his fingers that frequently turned into a key. I quickly looked down to check what I'd actually put on. I wearing a faded green T-shirt and a pair of old jeans, and, if you're asking, no make-up. I don't hate make-up, I just can't be bothered taking the time to apply it. I've tried using it before, but it just took too long. I also had in my diamond earrings that my Dad gave me for my fourteenth birthday. The earrings used to be Aphrodite's, though was nice to think I was taking a part of him with me.

I looked around nervously. Since we were all here, Chiron started to give us the brief. Apparently, mogodorian fruit trees are very rare and are only found in San Francisco. Also the trees are guarded by a sphinx, though Chiron seemed to add that as an afterthought. For me, that was the only thing that I properly heard. My hyperactive brain also doesn't like lectures.

"How are we going to get to San Francisco?" I asked, once he had finished.

Chiron sighed exasperatedly, so I guessed that he had probably _just _said that. Though, lucky for him, it was Jack who answered.

"Pegasi, but they can only take us two thirds of the way. It would be dangerous to make them fly any further," said Jack as if he was reading it straight out of a text book.

Normally I wasn't one to judge, but something else I'd learnt that morning: Jack is such a insufferable know-it-all. While Chiron left to get something, Jack attempted to get me interested in his opinion of scale rot.

After about a minute I heard the trotting of hooves from behind me. At first I thought it was just Chiron coming back, but it sounded like about four horses all together. I turned around just in time and saw three beautiful pegasi (is that the plural for more than one winged horse named Pegasus? Whatever, you know what I mean) galloping up, lead by Chiron. Chiron stopped when he reached us, his hooves were dancing about as if happy not to be in a wheelchair. The three pegasi were beautiful. One was chestnut brown and had a dark black mane. The other one was also brown, but a beautiful dark chocolate brown.

Then there was my favourite. It had a glossy light grey coat and a black mane with silver feathery wings. It was beautiful in an understated sort of way.

"Maia, you take Shadow over here," he told me.

I looked at the pegasus he was pointing at. It was the grey one. The corner of my mouth curled into a smile. I walked over carefully to the pegasus. I'd learnt the hard way not to stand behind a nervous horse, and I was assuming that the pegasi were the same.

"You a girl?" I asked it softly.

Shadow neighed, as if she were saying, _What did you think?_

"Jack you take Blaze, and Leo you take Thunder," Chiron said to the two boys.

Blaze was the chestnut one, and Thunder had the darker coat. The boys each walked up and cautiously mounted their pegasi. I did the same, but Shadow wasn't exactly making it easy. She was constantly dancing around on impatient hooves and rearing up.

"You're a feisty one," I muttered, as she finally let me mount her.

Shadow wasn't the only pegasus giving their rider a hard time. Jack had the unfortunate findings of having to ride Blaze. Blaze was acting as if he was constantly on a sugar high, if that was a thing for horses. Blaze just couldn't stop moving. Every now and then he would lift his wings so they would rub uncomfortably on Jack's knee caps. Jack was grimacing constantly. Leo got the only calm horse. Thunder just bent his head down and grazed.

I turned my head around to see Chiron trot up to me. Since he was a centaur, me sitting on a horse made me just as tall as him.

"Be careful Maia. Don't go looking for trouble," he said severely, as if he was thinking the exact same thing as me. I was probably the least experienced camper there was, yet I was going on a quest.

I sighed. "Trouble usually finds me. And anyway, won't the police be a little alarmed if they see me pulling out a great big sword?"

I had really hoped that mortal police wouldn't become our biggest problem.

Chiron winked. "Mist is a powerful thing, Maia. Do not underestimate it,"

That made about as much sense as a half-dog half-pony. I was a little bored of always being completely confused.

"Mist?" I asked finally, giving Chiron his satisfaction of knowing everything.

"Yes. Whenever godly or monstrous elements mix with the mortal world, they generate Mist. It obscures the vision of humans. You will see things as they are, being a Demigod, but humans will interpret things differently. Incredible, the lengths humans go to to fit things into their own little world,"

He seemed pleased to inform me of yet _another_ thing.

"Gee, thanks," I said, thinking of my Dad.

"Your Dad could see through it," he said, reading my mind. "Some mortals are born with the ability to see through the Mist, like your Dad,"

That didn't really make me feel any better but I said thanks anyway.

"And Chiron," I called after him as he turned to leave.

"Yes?"

"Why did the Hydra just... burst into dust?"

He chuckled. "Monsters have a tendency for doing that when they die. Don't be fooled though, the will reform and come to hunt to another day, yet, if you're lucky, it will take a whole lifetime for them to reform,"

I nodded. Yippee. That Hydra was now getting the chance to fulfil its century long grudge on me. One plus side, we'd never have to clean up after a battle.

"Good luck then," Chiron said, slapping me a little too hard on the back.

And so we left. A sixteen year old and two seventeen year olds. Kids. Heading out into a world of monsters, with no adult supervision, and no backup plan. None of us had cell phones, mainly because they act like signals for monsters, like saying, _Here I am! Please come and eat me now! _Audrey assured me that she had learnt that hard way. It didn't matter though, since I'd accidentally left my phone back at the apartment. The thought of Audrey left a lump in my throat, and made me even more determined to complete the quest.

Shadow started backing up, and then began galloping, soon breaking into a speedy canter. Suddenly she spread her wings and lifted off the ground. We were off. The Jack and Blaze duo and Thunder and Leo came up on either side. I guess it wasn't _that _bad. I've always felt most comfortable on horses and this wasn't much different, except for the fact we were around a hundred metres in the air, and at the moment I felt like Audrey's problem with heights had rubbed off on me, but Shadow and the others just kept on flying. The greenery whooshed past as we sped away from camp.

Leo was rocking uncomfortably on his pegasus and Jack looked like he was going to be sick.

I laughed, nervously, trying to act brave. "Come on, it's not _that_ bad,"

"Very funny, Miss Universe," Leo muttered.

_Miss Universes? That's new. _I stuck my tongue out playfully.

"Will monsters still be able to us smell up here?" Jack asked shakily.

The two boys seemed to be taking the ride even worse than I thought. Now I was realising that Leo probably didn't get to choose the method of transport.

"No, we'll smell like a giant flock of chocolate brownies floating through the sky," Leo said sarcastically.

Even when flying who's know how high in the sky, Leo had still managed to keep his sense of humour. I laughed, but Jack kept an embarrassed silence.

"Surely you knew that, though?" Leo asked Jack innocently.

Jack sniffed, still trying to keep his dignity. "One does not parade the fact that he is all knowing,"

I rolled my eyes and Leo stifled a laugh. Jack glared at us. Leo looked over at me as if to say, _don't worry about him_. Then Leo's face turned a pale green as Thunder made a sharp left turn.

"So you hate flying then?" I said, my lip twitching.

"No," Leo said through clenched teeth. "Actually, I hate bricks,"

I rolled my eyes but continued. It was time to talk quest.

"So do you know where in San Francisco the mogodorian trees are?" I asked.

"Nope," replied Leo calmly, as if not knowing was never a problem. "Though I know that all the trees grow together in a sort of orchard which the sphinx guards,"

"Ok, so we have to solve the sphinx's riddle and then she'll let us pass?" Jack said.

"Yes, but I doubt that that would be the only thing guarding them. Mogodorian fruits _are _incredibly powerful," I pondered.

"Oooookkkkkkkaaayyy," stuttered Jack, as Blaze started doing his wild-donkey-bucking-up-and-down regime. "Um, _please_ fly normally!"

I had to stifle a laugh. At the word _please_ the pegasus stopped bucking and flew smoothly, except faster than a race car.

"What is your problem?!" Jack shouted as his pegasus sped around, his voice small and distant from being miles ahead. "Stop!"

Blaze stopped, and Jack almost fell over the pegasus' head. Instead, he ended up hanging upside down by the stirrups. After seeing that Jack was not going to fall, Leo and I were in stitches. Jack's face turned white, and he desperately started pulling himself up. He wiped his head with the bad of his hand as he got back in the saddle. Grumbling, Jack tried to get comfortable as his pegasus started flying normally.

"Stupid horse," he said.

Blaze snorted and flicked Jack in the face with his ear.

"Ok, ok, I take it back. And you-" he pointed at Leo and I. "You can _stop laughing,_"

The rest of the hour was just small talk. Until we saw it. It _looked_ like a German Shepard, except it was twice the size of a woolly mammoth. It glossy, rusty orange and black coat glittered in the sunlight. I wondered whether the Mist was making mortals think that it was a rather large slobbery truck.

"A hellhound," Jack said. "They are creatures of the underworld,"

"Oh, I thought it was a cat," I said innocently, with the slightest hint of exasperation.

It's like he thought I slept through all my classes back at camp. I didn't. Just the homework. This kid was really starting to annoy me with his know-it-all brain. I guess that's children of Athena for you.

"Calm down, Miss Universe," he teased.

Um, when Leo said it, it sounded funny, but when Jack said it... just no.

I rolled my eyes. "Wise boy,"

Jack got ready to snap back a sharp retort until Leo interrupted.

"Hey, cut it out guys! If you haven't noticed, that thing's looking at us," he looked back down. "Also it's licking its lips,"

I looked down and saw that he was right. Its dark eyes were trained on us and drool was dripping down it's huge teeth. The taillight of a car poked out from under its fluffy tail. It did look like it wanted to eat us, but there was a hint of loneliness in its eyes too. It looked like it need a little attention. It couldn't have been just a normal hellhound, because a normal hellhound would never show any soft side. My gaze lightened. A surge of rebellion and recklessness shot through me. I dug my heels in and flew Shadow down to the ground.

"Maia, what are you doing?" Leo called fearfully.

I didn't look back. I knew hellhounds were monsters, but so what? They couldn't all be monsters. And this isn't because I have some soft spot for monsters. No monster had ever looked as tame as that Hellhound did in that moment. I dismounted Shadow behind a shabby brick shop. I slung my backpack across in front of me and started rummaging through it.

"Come on," I muttered.

Finally. I found what I was looking for. A small yellow ball. Slinging my bag back onto my shoulder, I stepped around from the building. The hellhound's throat rumbled. It was still growling, but the hellhound's eyes were fixated on the yellow ball.

"You want the ball? Sit!" I asked, my piercing blue eyes fixed on the dog.

I have to admit, I _was_ pretty scared. It whimpered and the ground shook, but slowly it sat. Wow. I monster that had gone through obedience.

"Go on catch!"

I threw the ball up into the air and the dog caught it in its mouth. I realised that now I couldn't do anything because I'd just thrown away my only point of advantage, and that the hellhound was probably real hungry, but then the hellhound lowered its head and dropped the ball at my feet. The ball was now a couple of rags in a pool of dog saliva. I suppressed a laugh.

"Maia, what the hell are you doing?!" Jack yelled from above me.

I sighed. Like I cared what he said. Even so, I'd probably better hurry up if my plan was going to work. Despite the slobber, I picked up the ball, holding it between my fingertips.

"Sit," I said, sternly.

The hellhound sat down again.

"Good boy," I praised it. "Now drop. Drop,"

He hesitated, and my heart did three sixties in my chest, but then finally then lay down, flattening a dozen trees on the way. Just as hesitantly, I walked up to it.

"Maia!" Leo called, not sounding fearful anymore, but a little anxious.

I ignored him. I slowly put my hand on the bridge of the hellhound's nose. Its eyes widened, but it didn't move. I slowly stroked the silky fur. The dog closed its eyes contently.

I looked up, smiling.

"Guys!" I called up to Jack and Leo. "I think I just got us a ride,"

I lifted my hand, but the hellhound nuzzled into me insistently. I laughed, and continued massaging his fur. The boys looked at the dog, then back at me. With a few words that I was too far away to hear, they flew down.

"That was awesome," said Leo, laughing.

"That was _stupid_. How did you know it was tame?" Jack demanded.

"Because I've had a dog myself, Wise boy," I teased.

Jack sniffed, and the hellhound stood up, crushing a couple more cars on the way.

"What did you mean when you said you got a ride?" Jack mumbled, sounding as if he had a lump in his throat.

I bit my lip, deciding to lay off Jack for a while. He _was_ being over sensitive, and I knew that I sucked at being friends, but Jack didn't cope well with being proved wrong, and he was here on the quest with us.

"Well, you know how you said that we could only take the pegasi two thirds of the way? We can ride this big guy the rest of the way. But," I said somewhat sheepishly. "Leo you're the leader. It's your call,"

At this Jack just looked horrified, but Leo was, as expected, grinning. "I say let's do this,"

Leo walked right up to the hellhound. He held his hand out, and the hellhound nudged it to let him know that he was allowed to pat him.

"Impressive," Leo said, stroking his legs (because now that the hellhound was standing up, the legs were the easiest to reach). Leo looked thoughtfully at the rust like tan fur that coloured part of its back.

"Imma call you Rusty," he decided.

I laughed. Even Jack suppressed a smile. It wasn't often that people named giant German Shepard's twice the size of a mammoth anything other than _Monster_. Jack's smile disappeared almost instantly.

"We're only half way there though," Jack pointed out, trying to find a flaw in the plan. "The pegasi can still take us further,"

"I don't think we have a choice," said Leo grimly.

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

Leo just gestured towards the sky. I looked up and saw that our pegasi were flying away, probably back to Camp Half-Blood. Those are some lazy horses. I looked back and Leo shrugged. He turned around, ready to climb up, but then someone whistled from behind us. "Hey kids!"

It was a homeless guy leaning against the bonnet of a car. He looked in his late teens or early twenties, with sandy blonde hair, blue eyes and a very heavy but perfect tan. He beckoned for us to come closer. Not fazed from his looks, I hesitated. Something didn't seem right about him, yet I could tell he wasn't a monster. Something more powerful, and not as evil. We approached slowly.

"Yes? Um, who are you?" asked Leo.

"_My life is awesome,_

_ Much better than yours,_

_ Though I have to say, _

_Yours is for a cause,_"

He said it as if that made everything clear, with the ring of poetry, however terrible the poetry was. For me and Leo, that just made us more confused, but Jack understood, a dumbstruck look spreading across his face.

"Apollo?" he asked.

* * *

**A / N: **Smarty pants Jack ...


	5. Chapter 5

**A / N: **Hi! This chapters a little longer than usual, I just had a little more time on my hands.

**Declaimer: **I don't own what Rick Riordan does, and probably never will.

* * *

5

A part of my brain lit up, and then extinguished itself. First god I'd ever seen, and he was dressed as a hobo. I didn't think that they could make themselves look so _normal, _because I could tell that wasn't his real form.

Apollo looked slightly annoyed. "Yes, I guess. At least one of you has their head screwed on. But I'm incognito. Call me..."

Apollo's face strained as he tried to think of a suitable name.

"Bob?" Leo offered.

Apollo looked satisfied. "Yes. Bob. Call me Bob,"

"Well, _Bob_. It is, of course, good to see you, but what, er, brings you here?" I asked.

I wasn't sure how easily offended Apollo was seeing as he is a god and all. Luckily, he didn't take offence. Actually, he seemed quite pleased that I had asked.

"Well, I have a little job for you. I, um, left one of my scrolls in the Haunted house of that stupid amusement park over there," he pointed at the brightly coloured park across the street. "The scroll had some of my best poems on it. I would get it myself, except I have had a disagreement with one of the unfortunate beings that reside in that haunted house for the wage they get. A small pay mind you,"

Apollo seemed a little embarrassed that he was as clumsy as to leave something behind, though he tried to hide it. Leo and Jack exchanged glances.

"We'll do it," said Jack finally.

I glared at Jack. We didn't have time for this. Audrey needed that fruit _now _and we weren't even in San Francisco yet. Though we couldn't pass up a gods request without some consequence. Leo flashed a smile at Apollo before turning around to the theme park, but it came out as more of a grimace.

"Wait," I said quietly.

I walked up to Rusty.

"We'll be gone for a bit," I murmured. "Just... Stay here. We'll be back soon,"

Rusty's big brown eyes looked heartbroken. He whined and nudged Jack under the arm. I had to suppress a smile. Though (or maybe because) Jack was scared of Rusty, Rusty liked him best. Jack stumbled back, but then gave a sort of lopsided grin. We started to walk to the theme park and Rusty sat down which completely demolished two street lamps and cracked the asphalt.

Apollo backed up a couple of steps, and then waved to us while glancing every now and then back at Rusty. After waving back, I looked up at the neon letters over the gage of the park. '_Monster's Park!_' was written in giant green cartoon writing. The 'P' from park had fallen off so it really looked like it said _Monster's ark!_ I gave a small giggle as the image of monsters trotting two by two into a huge boat floated across my mind. Jack was thinking the same thing, murmuring the song under his breath, except changing the words.

_"The monsters walk in two by two,_

_Hurrah,_

_Hurrah-"_

Jack broke off as Leo elbowed him in the ribs.

"So are monsters, like, housed here or something?" he said hastily.

"I dunno. I can't see anyone," replied Leo.

He was right. There wasn't a single person in the theme park, and I wasn't sure it was just because of bad business. Regardless, we headed into the deserted park. Suddenly a man jumped out from behind the gates. I backed up so quickly that I almost fell, swallowing back a scream.

"Sorry if I scared you," he said with a toothless grin. "Welcome to Monster's Park!"

The man was well into his fifties, and his grey-black hair was patchy and falling out. There was a distinct grey tinge to his skin which clashed horrible with his happy-go-lucky park uniform. I frowned. I couldn't see anyone before, but now I could see staff everywhere around the park. I jumped as a loud rattling noise began. I turned around and saw that the roller coaster had started, but no one was in it. The man didn't even notice. I looked at his name tag. _Flesh Eater_. No human had a name like that, but it could just be part of the whole monster themed park thing they had going on.

"Do you, er, have a haunted house ride here?" I asked.

He nodded, his smile showing all his missing and weathered teeth. "Ah yes, the High House of Horrors. Very good ride. Marrow Sucker will show you the way, it's just —MARROW SUCKER COME HERE NOW — around this corner,"

A bald guy with pure black eyes and an incredible hunch back came shambling around the corner, leaning heavily on a mangled stick. "Yeh called Flesh Eater?"

"Yes. Yes I did," said Flesh Eater impatiently. "They want to enter the High House of Horrors,"

Marrow Sucker looked up at me. "Great choice. Come this way. Yeh'll see it in e' bit,"

I glanced at Jack and Leo who had since been silent.

"Um, yeah. Lead the way," said Leo.

Marrow Sucker made his way around the corner, the clonk of the stick making a steady rhythm. In seeing the stick more closely, I saw... Were they claw marks? All the staff were, too put it bluntly, plain creepy. The eerie rattling of the roller coaster didn't help the matter either.

"Here yeh are," said Marrow Sucker, halting us in front of a structure encased with fake cobwebs.

The ride was made of stone brick looking plastic walls, but I couldn't see how far it went as black drapes covered the entrance and exit. I was starting to get a bad feeling about going in the ride, but we had to if we were going to get back to our quest.

"Do we need to pay, or...?" Jack asked.

"Nah, yeh won need teh," Marrow Sucker replied with a toothless grin.

"But-" Jack began, but he had already pushed us through the entrance.

That was a one way trip. Inside the house it was pitch black inside, so I couldn't even see the entrance curtain (which should have let in at least a little light), let alone Jack and Leo.

"Ouch! That was my foot!" I said indignantly.

"Sorry," muttered Leo. "I just need find the curtain so—that was my _shoulder_!"

"Sorry," Jack mumbled. "The curtain's just here,"

I heard a crash as Leo went to go through the curtain.

He muttered a curse under his breath. "They've boarded it up!"

"Here," I landed a kick on the exit and heard a crack. "We're out,"

"Nope," Leo said. "Now we've hit metal. Nice kick though,"

"Thanks," I muttered. "What about the walls?"

"Plastic. Then metal. Titanium by the feel of it," Jack confirmed.

I sighed. "Only one way through then. Forward,"

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I spotted a shabby doorway. "This way,"

"Ladies first," said Leo, grinning through the darkness.

I punched him playfully, and stepped through the door. It was just as dark as the first room, with cold hard floor. I stopped dead. Some thing was slithering around my ankle... To late my brain shouted _Rope!_ The noose tightened around my ankle and pulled, sweeping me off my feet and dragging me down the corridor.

"Guys!" I shouted.

"What happened?" Leo's voice seemed muffled.

"I'm being — OW!" I broke off as my head hit the corner an old fashioned cabinet. "Don't follow! There's a rope!"

I grasped desperately at passing objects until my fingers bled. I craned my neck as far as it could go but it was still too dark to see what was pulling me. I heard a loud clunk as my sword hit the wall, bouncing around on my thigh. Then it struck me. _My sword_. My fingers fumbled as I tried to unsheathe it whilst moving.

"Oh, you won't be needing that, honey," rasped a voice.

So it _was _someone that was pulling me.

"Then turn the lights on, unless you're too afraid," I taunted, but not quite hiding my frustration.

My head pounded from being scraped across the hard floor, and I knew I was in a tight spot. I had the disadvantage, being on the floor, but I couldn't call the boys in fear for them being dragged along too.

"And why would I do that?" The voice said in a annoyingly superior tone that I normally associated with Jack.

I didn't answer, still trying to free my sword. With a well-timed tug it came free, and the familiar feeling of the hilt was back in my hand. I could even see a bit better as the glow of celestial bronze lit the air around me.

"This is why," I whispered, slashing at the ropes.

With a loud hiss two amber pinpricks lit up ten metres away. I scrambled backwards and hit the wall, the bang echoing around the room. I flinched and stood up. "Are you going to turn the lights on now?"

"If you wish, though I can't see why you would,"

That made me hesitate. What did they, or it, mean? If it meant anything, it was too late now. The lights snapped on. I took in my surroundings first. I was no longer in a hallway, but a room. The old wallpaper peeled of the walls in a sort of styled pattern that I liked. There was also an old fashioned lamp in the middle of the room from where the light seemed to be coming from. The only thing was, the lamp wasn't turned on, yet the light came from it anyway. Then I turned to look at the source of the voice I'd spoken to. I saw two clawed, but webbed, browny yellow feet capped with a pair of smooth, sea green legs that were flecked with scales. For some reason, I couldn't bring myself to look at the creatures face.

"What are you?" I said in a low voice.

The creature let out a horrible rasping sound that might have been an attempt at a laugh. "What am I? I feel offended. 'Who am I?' would be more appropriate, yet your kind has always been especially judgemental,"

I kept my ground. "_Who_ are you, then?"

"I am Eragon. Son of the basilisk. You were right not to look me in the eyes, yet I was told that they are extremely attractive,"

Basilisk. The great snake that instantly killed you if you looked it in the eyes.

I swallowed. "So anyone that looks you in the eye is instantly killed? No wonder you're still single,"

I heard Eragon hiss, his breath stinking of rotten fish so bad that I had to refrain from gagging. "No, not killed, but my gaze _will_ petrify you for all eternity,"

"Oh, that's an awesome gift," I praised, trying to sound calm.

From down the corridor I could hear Leo and Jack calling. I couldn't afford to annoy Eragon at the moment, so I ignored them for now.

Eragon seemed uncharacteristically pleased. "Thank you. Not everyone appreciates me,"

I tried to look surprised, while lowering my sword. "Really? I think it's magnificent,"

Eragon gave a rasping sort of purr. "If you really think so, why don't you take a peek?"

This guy was trying to kill me sneakily and he was doing it well, so I'll give him that.

"I would, but I'm too far away to be able to appreciate your eyes properly," I toyed.

I could tell that he was confused, anyhow, he obeyed, shuffling forward on his snake-like legs.

"Just take a peek..." He breathed.

"No thanks," I said softly, unsheathing my sword with a quiet clink and driving it into his heart.

I almost felt guilty for stabbing him as Eragon's widened in pain and betrayal.

"You-" his words were cut off as he let out an agonising scream and burst into dust.

The power settled all over my body, making my hair look dusty white. At that moment Leo and Jack ran into the room.

"We heard screaming," said Leo, out of breath.

"That would have been Eragon," I said.

Jack frowned. "Who's Eragon?"

"_Was,_" I corrected. "He was the one that dragged me down the hallway,"

Leo smirked. "He also caused you age about fifty years,"

I stuck my tongue out, brushing some of the power off my body. I gave a small sneeze as the powered tickled my nose.

"Bless you," said Leo serenely.

I shrugged apologetically. My sword was coated in so much of the dust that it looked like a fossil. I wiped the majority of it off on my jeans and sheathed my sword.

"Um, let's go find the scrolls now?" Jack suggested.

Leo and I both nodded. Jack located a door hidden with a black shroud of woven cloth, and pulled off the cover. He brushed off his hands on his jeans and looked back at us.

I stepped back. "Nuh uh. No _ladies first _for this one,"

With a sideways glance Leo tried the door. He tugged in vain as the golden knob refused to budge.

"Locked," he muttered.

I bit my lip. This couldn't be the whole haunted house, but then why would the door be locked? I looked back at Leo, who was pulling a long, black, charcoal pencil, the same one that I'd seen before we left for the quest.

"Um, Leo?" Jack said. "I don't think that's going to pick the lock,"

Leo grinned. "Nope, but this will,"

He twiddled the pencil between his fingers and it began to morph into a small silver key. I smiled. That was one cool pencil.

Jack still looked doubtful. "It might not fit the lock,"

Leo shook his head. "Of course it will. It can unlock anything. It's a present from Dad."

A lump grew in my throat. "You've met him? Hermes, I mean,"

Leo's eyes hardened with an uncharacteristic coldness and I immediately regretted bringing up the subject.

"I'm sorry if it's-"

"I haven't met him," he said in a low voice. "But he sent me this last summer,"

Hasn't anyone seen their godly parent? That wasn't fair. We are their _kids. _Leo bent down it unlock the door, and as he told us, the key fitted perfectly. The door creaked open andJack stepped slowly through the door, beckoning for us to follow. I hesitated. There could be anything past that door. Leo pushed past me and walked through the door, a moody expression on his face. My shoulders slumped and I followed him through the doorway. It was another room, with the same out dated feel and peeling wallpaper. It was perfectly lit without lights, except for one corner that was sentenced to darkness. I frowned. Parts of room didn't just randomly go dark. Then I saw the lock of ratty hair falling into light. We weren't alone. The brown hair billowed in a non-existent wind. Jack nudged me and pointed to a small rounded table in the corner of the room, but that wasn't the bit that interested him. On the table sat a bundle of parchment-like scrolls, each tied with a deep red ribbon. Suddenly I whipped around, hearing a scraping noise from behind me. The shadowy figure had moved into the light. Now that I could see him properly, he looked vaguely human, just with fur everywhere. He looked like he had never left this room for about fifty years with distinct bear-like features. His hair was long, dirty brown in colour, and very mattered. He was dressed in baggy clothes, but with none of the uncertainty of a homeless man.

He glared at me with a look of pure loathing. "Another set of foolish half-bloods working for the gods,"

I swallowed violently. "Erm, yes, I guess. Who are you?"

"Agrius," he said slowly, like a word that he was not accustomed too.

"_I _haven't heard of you," said Jack indignantly. It was hard for him to believe that he _wouldn't _know someone seemingly important.

Agrius spat on the ground, his saliva dark green. "Not many people do know me. Apollo and Artemis take care of _that_,"

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

Agrius let out a harsh laugh like sandpaper. "You want to know my story? I'll tell you my story. Aphrodite commanded my mother to marry this arrogant suitor, but she refused. She fled to Artemis for help. Enraged, _your mother_," He pointed a furry finger at my chest, "cursed my mother to fall in love with a bear. Artemis was disgusted and abandoned her. That left with me and my brother as her offspring, and the hatred of two goddesses," he spat the last word, letting lose more green spit.

My breath caught in my throat. The gods really were horrible. I thought of Agrius' mother.

"So that's why you don't like Apollo. Because of Artemis," I said slowly.

"Yes," he said harshly, and then laughed. "Ha. Some nerve he has to send a daughter of Aphrodite after me. Apollo just sent me lunch with extra sauce. Normally Eragon would get all the fun. Not this time,"

Leo stepped in front of me protectively, standing between Agrius and I. The corner of my lip twitched. I wasn't _completely _defenceless. I began to protest but Leo silenced me by nudging me in the stomach with his elbow. It either came harder than Leo had meant it to, or he was trying to prove a rather painful point.

"The scrolls please," he ordered Agrius, his voice so low that it had almost reduced to a growl just like Agrius'.

Agrius raised his eyebrows. At least, I assumed he did, his face was too covered in fur to tell properly. Then he spoke in a slithery voice. "Surely you don't think I'll just hand them over,"

Leo shook his head and Jack muttered, "But it'd be nice if you did,"

Leo smirked. It would've been really nice if I had the ability to charmspeak at that moment. With or without, I tried it my way. I gave Jack a sideways look.

"Okay, so you're not going to give it to us. But at the moment you're conscious. If you happened to be knocked out however..."

Jack took the hint and whacked Agrius over the head with his backpack. With a sickening crunch that contradicted with the backpacks material, Agrius slumped to the floor.

"What the hell do you keep in that bag?" Leo asked Jack incredulously.

Jack gave a comical shrug. "A bit of this and that,"

Leo eyed the bag nervously.

I laughed, the sound echoing down the corridor. "Let's get out of here,"

We gathered up the scrolls and went back the way we came, careful not to make as much noise to make Agrius wake up. I was still thinking of what Aphrodite did to his mom when we reached the first room. To our surprise, the entrance was no longer blocked, the curtain flapping slightly in the breeze. I grimaced. The monstrous staff must've thought that we wouldn't be needing to come back the way we came, or being coming back at all for that matter. The curtain flapped wider, causing a beam of sunlight to cut through the dark room. I instinctively shielded my eyes from the sun, taking a while to adjust to the light and fresh air. Subconsciously a big smile grew across my face. We were finally out of that damned house. The quest was back on track. I lowered my hand from my face, letting my eyes get used to light. I heard a familiar shuffling sound from behind us. I whipped around in a panic, still edgy from the previous fights, only to see Marrow Sucker, his mouth gaping open. I'd bet that if he still had teeth, they would've fallen out.

"How'd yeh get owt?" he asked, flabbergasted.

Leo shrugged. "We learnt a few tricks." Then he smiled. For some reason, outwitting Agrius had taken him out of his moody self. "Two things you should do. One; get a new employee, you might find yourself one short, and two; Agrius should get a pay rise."

Marrow Sucker stayed silent, still gaping. I gave Leo a small nudge. He nodded and we left Marrow Sucker as we walked to the gates. Leo and I stopped dead as two familiar voices began behind the souvenir stall. Jack looked back at us with a puzzled glance. Leo gestured to the source of the noise and he Jack and I ducked behind the nearest building. The building happened to be a dart throwing game, the darts all filed to razor sharp points. Shackles were attached to the target, fitted perfectly for a human sized object. I leaned into the wall, listening intently.

"They got out?" said a sharp voice.

"Yeah Flesh Eater. They all talked to meh jus' now,"

Leo and I looked at each, stricken with what we'd heard. We both knew exactly who the other voice was.

"Are you _sure_, Marrow Sucker? How is that possible?" Flesh Eater demanded, sounding frantic.

"Very sure. An-an' I think the' killed Er-Era-Eragon," stuttered Marrow Sucker.

Flesh Eater's tone hardened. "Get Bone Breaker. Tell him to close the gates. Those pesky demigods _will not _escape,"

Jack gasped and then clamped his hand over his own mouth.

"We have to run for it," said Leo hoarsely. "On my count. 1. 2. 3!"

He yelled the last number as we sprinted around the corner. The gate drawbridge-like gate was already creaking shut as we past the information booth. I soon realised that I was leaving behind Leo and Jack as I ran, but I didn't dare go slower.

"There they are!" Flesh Eater shouted.

I ran faster than ever, the theme park a blur around me, my hair whipping around my face. With a final boost of speed I managed to dash under the almost closed gate, Leo and Jack barely a second after. I heard a bellow of rage as the gate shut, separating us from the blood thirsty staff. My shoes skidded on the gravel as we halted, and I bent over to catch my breath. Leo was leaning on his knee, and Jack leant heavily on a nearby car.

"Gods you're fast," Leo panted. "Are you a runner or...?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I am,"

"That explains a lot," said Jack, breathing heavily.

"You got the scrolls?" I asked Leo.

He nodded. "Yup,"

"You guys alright there?" an amused voice called from behind us.

Leo and Jack instantly straightened up to address Apollo. Apollo was leaning against a brick wall, earplugs in, listening to music on his iPod. His head was nodding to the music, reminding me that he was also the god of music.

"We got your scrolls," Jack said in a very formal tone.

Apollo grinned, but his music was so loud that I doubted he had actually heard Jack. However, Apollo took out his earplugs when Leo removed the old-fashioned scrolls from his backpack.

"Did ya have fun?" he asked me, taking the scrolls from Leo's hand.

I mumbled a yes. Apollo clearly read my troubled expression and tucked his now tangled earplugs into his pocket as a gesture of peace.

"Whatever tale Agrius told you, I won't deny it, but remember that there is always two sides to the story," he said softly.

I nodded mutely.

Apollo looked like he wanted to say something else, but then thought better of it. Leo gave me puzzled glance but I kept my silence.

"Well," began Apollo. "I guess I'll be off. Er, you might want to shield your eyes,"

I was a little confused, but I did as he said, squeezing my eyes shut and covering them with my hand. With a flash of blinding light that seeped through my fingers like shock waves, Apollo disappeared. I knew that if I had looked, I would've blown into a billion pieces. Apollo must've needed to turn into his true form to leave. I opened my eyes hesitantly, and then all at once as soon I saw that Apollo had indeed disappeared. Instead, a giant tongue was all I could see as Rusty licked my face, which was quite unpleasant when coming from a dog as large as a hellhound. As he backed away I saw that Jack had suffered the same treatment. I mopped my face with my arm, stroking Rusty's muzzle with the other hand.

"I missed you too," I said, smiling slightly.

Rusty nuzzled me under my arm. I gave a small laugh and turned to the others.

"Should we get on him now then? We don't have all day you know," I prompted.

Leo grinned and bounded right up to Rusty. He stopped, uncertain, but Rusty gave the all clear and Leo began to climb. He hitched his leg on the back of Rusty's and kept on looking back at Rusty nervously as if asking for permission to go further. Once on Rusty's back, he feigned collapsing to show us how soft his fur was. I approached Rusty, ready to climb aboard. Leo held out his hand for me to use.

I raised my eyebrows. "I still hardly know you,"

Leo shrugged. "Me neither, but since you're stuck with me..."

I shook my head and climbed up myself. Leo rolled his eyes and retracted his hand. I sat down on Rusty's back, his fur was so thick and soft I almost fell asleep right there.

"Come on. He doesn't mind," I reassured Jack.

Jack opened his mouth to object, but then thought better and walked up, his posture showing that he was completely defeated. Rusty sat, making Leo and I almost fall on top of each other, but making it easier for Jack to climb up. Jack looked surprised that Rusty was helping, and then slowly made his way up. Even with Rusty sitting, you still had to climb to reach his back.

Rusty stood back up again, and I almost lost my balance for the second time. If you've ever ridden on a camel while it's standing up or lying down, you know the feeling, except since Rusty was way bigger, the effect was ten times more unnerving. Slowly he walked backwards, as if... as of he was doing a run up. But no, he couldn't, he was facing the wall of a shop. The wall looked almost black in shadow because of the overhead veranda. Rusty stopped, making me jolt forward but not lose my balance, and then started running towards the dark spot in the walk. I felt his agile muscles rippling beneath me as his giant paws pounded the asphalt. _It's ok, he'll stop running before we hit the wall, _I reassured myself. Now we were just a metre away and he wasn't slowing down.

"What is he doing?" I asked, my voice higher than usual.

Leo's face was grim, like he knew what was coming and didn't like it at all. "He's going to shadow travel. Travel through darkness,"

I gave him a look to show that that didn't mean anything to me, and that we were going to be crushed. His vibrant green eyes stared back without a change of expression. I looked away, bracing myself, waiting for the impact. Just when we would've hit the wall it went pitch black. I couldn't see my own hand, let alone any of the others. It felt like my lungs were being squeezed down a very narrow tube, and as if that tube twisted and turned at every possible moment. In other words, it sucked. Finally the suffocating darkness ended, but we were in a completely different place. We were now on a lonely grey road that passed through scorching bleak moors.

"Okay, someone explain. What did Rusty just do?" I demanded, as soon as I regained the use of my tongue.

Of course, it was Jack who answered. "The dog is a creature of the underworld. So it travelled through darkness. Through shadow. Shadow travel,"

I suddenly felt a rush of dislike at the fact that Jack referred to Rusty as 'it'.

"Are we in San Francisco?" I asked, facing Leo instead.

"No, about sixteen or something hours away, but about eleven hours on the hellhound," Jack answered, taking it like I was asking _him_. "If it knows where it's going,"

"_He _not _it_, Jack. Rusty's smarter than your whole cabin put together anyway," I snapped.

"_It _is a hellhound!" Jack exclaimed with a hint of exasperation.

"So?!" I retorted. This guy was really trying to make me mad.

"He's a monster!"

"No more a monster than you," I muttered under my breath.

"Hey, calm down feisty pants. We heard that," said Leo hastily. "Also Jack, she's got a point. About Rusty, I mean, not the monster thing,"

I turned my back on them and looked out on to the horizon. Apparently Rusty did know where he was going, according to the signs on the side of the road. I listened to Jack and Leo behind me, deciding that Rusty must have been trained before, as normally a hellhound would've bitten my head off. It must of got lost or been abandoned. Poor Rusty. Then they started arguing. I rested my chin on my knees, blocking out their voices. Not one driver on the road pointed at us or screamed or even noticed us at all. I had to suppress a smile when I thought of mortals seeing a large, furry truck. I remembered Chiron's words, _the Mist is a powerful thing, Maia. Do not underestimate it. _I wasn't. In a way I was _over _estimating it.

After a while, the sun began to set, so I guessed we'd be traveling through the night. As it got darker I lay down, propping myself up on my elbows, feeling the gentle rock of Rusty walking along the gloomy road. From behind me I heard snores, telling me Jack had fallen asleep.

Leo shuffled up to lie next to me.

Seeing the scowl on my face, he said, "Jack's not a bad person really, he just... difficult. He's had a hard life,"

I sighed. Leo and Jack seemed almost like brothers in the way they got along. There was no point in giving into Jack's irritable traits.

"I guess,"

Don't get me wrong, I'd tried to like Jack, I really had, but he sure didn't make it easy. He seemed to go out of his way to annoy me. I guess ... I don't know. I'll _try_ to be nicer. Leo rolled over on to his back, resting his head on his hands, the sleeves of his orange Camp Half-Blood t-shirt whipping in the strong wind. The breeze was making Rusty's fur rustle and tickle my nose. Eventually I sneezed and Leo smiled. "Bless you,"

I gave an embarrassed sort of grin.

After a short moment of silence, Leo asked, "Do you ever wonder what's past the stars?"

He was staring up at the sky as if it was a puzzle that he was on the urge of completing, his green eyes looking as bleak as the fields surrounding us.

"Sometimes," I decided. "But I like to think of things closer to home,"

He shrugged. I looked into his vivid green eyes, like a void down to the unknown. They were completely glazed over from staring into space for to long. His dark hair looked almost black in the dark night, casting shadows onto his face. Leo had a cheeky expression, and one of those devilish smiles that made teachers yell '_You! Sit at this desk next to me!_' And like the first day of the quest, he was flicking the charcoal pencil that turned into a key between his fingers again. I looked down. He had a beaded necklace, with four multi-coloured clay beads, each had its own pattern painted on. Audrey, Meg, Katie, Ariana and Emily each had one too. Each year you stayed at Camp Half-Blood, you got one bead. So each year the council of cloven elders chose what the most important thing was that happened that year, to paint on the bead. Four years. I wondered what would be on this year's bead. I thought of Audrey. At camp only two years, but she was so confident. I hope I become like that. Just then Rusty let out a huge yawn that shook the ground. After the realisation that it was _not _an earthquake, I laughed. Even so, Jack had managed to sleep through it all. I pulled out my hair tie, letting my hair fall loose. Down to my waist, I noted. The ends were soft and silky unlike the others girls hair at school. I gave a small frown. Audrey must have rubbed off on me if I was think about my hair. I rolled over onto my back like Leo and exhaled slightly.

"What's your favourite constellation?" I asked.

"The smiley face. I've counted about five just now," Leo answered smoothly.

I laughed, the clear sound echoing through the next. "I'm _serious,_"

The corner of Leo's mouth curved upwards. "The bear then,"

I returned his smile. _Same_. Then I thought of Audrey. She should've been there with us.

"Do you think we'll get it?" I said softly. "The mogodorian fruit?"

"Yeah, I think we will," For a moment I thought he was actually showing a soft side until, "In the meantime. I'm hungry,"

I'd noticed that however much Leo tried to act like he didn't care, deep down there was a part where he _did _care, a lot. I wasn't sure what about though. Leo sat up, and rummaged inside his backpack for the small food pack Chiron had given us. I sat up and crossed my legs, my stomach growling. I hadn't even realised how hungry I was until that moment. Leo dug out the parcel labelled _Spag Bol_. I have to admit, it wasn't as good as Mrs Balboni's home made recipe, but I still relished every mouthful. I could never get sick of pasta. It was a little strange to do such a normal thing like eating in the crazy world that I'd landed in. The spaghetti was in a small like thermos so the cheese was still deliciously melted and warm. We ate in silence, making sure to leave some of the food for Jack, though I doubted he'd want any for breakfast. It was nice traveling on Rusty, under the full moon with Leo. Then I remembered something. It was going to be my seventeenth birthday tomorrow. Since I'd come to camp I'd completely forgotten about it. Seventeen. Wow. I was getting old.

Leo must've seen a change in my expression because he asked, "What's on your mind?"

I shook my head. "Nothing,"

There was no point anyone fussing over my birthday now. Anyway, I liked just sitting out here, because for once, the silence wasn't nearly awkward.

"Go to sleep," Leo said, his eyes flickering over my face. "You look really tired. I'll take first watch,"

I flashed him a grateful look. My eye lids already felt heavy.

"Ok, but wake me up for second watch," I yawned, because we've got to do it fair, don't we?

I fell asleep as soon as I lay down again, exhausted, letting my body sink into Rusty's long fur.

When I woke up it was morning, the sun only just beginning to rise. The pastel colours of yellow, pink and orange spilled across the sky like watery paint, taking up all of my vision. The gentle lull of Rusty's footstep urged me to go back to sleep, making me want to just lie there, looking at the sunrise. I blinked my eyes slowly and sat up, stretching my stiff back. There was an imprint of where my body had lain in Rusty's now flattened fur. I yawned, and looked up at Leo. He had big circles under his eyes, and looked ready to collapse. A surge of guilt rushed through me.

"Leo! I told you to wake me up!" I said, but with an edge of softness.

"Well you didn't look like I should wake you," he said uncomfortably, not looking me in the eyes, and handing me a plate of scrambled eggs.

Jack yawned over his already empty plate. He was sitting with slumped shoulders, and showed varying signs of just waking up.

"Hey sleepy head," I joked wearily.

"Hi," he answered, bleary eyed. "Are we there yet?"

"Yep," said Leo, trying not to sound tired. "Welcome to San Francisco!"


	6. Chapter 6

**A / N: **Hi! Sorry for the massive wait. I sort of just lost motivation.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Percy Jackson. I mean, I wish I did.

* * *

6

San Francisco was amazing. It was like a cleaner, more beautiful, version of Manhattan. It was surrounded by rolling hills and the air just seemed over all cleaner. The only thing was, that there was no place that looks suspicious, and no _Magical Fruits Sold Here _signs. The snarl of taxies, busses and cars were starting making my ears throb, and I rubbed them subconsciously. We'd planned so much on getting here, that now we were here, we had no idea on where to look. Leo and I looked at Jack, because, after all, he was the smart one here.

"Hey! Don't look at me!" he said defensively, which was pretty much code for _I have no idea where it is, but I don't want to admit it_.

I sighed. Sometimes people never change. "Let's just go,"

Leo slid off Rusty, brushing the giant pieces of dog fur that had stuck to his clothes. I swung my legs over Rusty, ready to slide off, but ended up losing my footing and falling unceremoniously off Rusty's fluffy back. I braced myself, expecting to hit the asphalt.  
When the impact didn't come, I looked up, blinking, to see that Leo had caught me in his arms. I scrambled out of him arms and stood up quickly, blushing. Leo gave me a bemused look and I stuck my tongue out in retaliation. Jack raised his eyebrows for a split second, but then turned his attention back to his careful manoeuvring down one of Rusty's legs. By the time Jack reached the ground he was basically drowned in giant dog fur.

"You look like a giant fluff ball," Leo commented as Jack reached the ground. I giggled, causing Jack to glare at me.

I rolled my eyes, still smiling. "Fine. Here,"

I helped Jack get all the fluff of his body, well, most of it anyway. I caught Jack looking at Leo over my shoulder. I whipped around to see what they were communicating, but Leo's face was unnaturally expressionless, but left with a slight look of sourness. I looked away, puzzled, but deciding not to question it. "What now?"

"Er... We could walk down the streets a bit to start, maybe," Leo suggested, just as clueless as the rest of us. I nodded.

So we began walking down the streets, peering into each and every shop or house window. The flatness of the hard concrete left my feet complaining and I was constantly avoiding the lavender bushes, as they were swarming with bees. Every now and then I was slightly inclined to laugh at a street name (eventually giving in when I saw 'Mc Muffin St'), but nothing more eventful than that. At one point or another Leo and Jack both stopped in front of a small pale pink cafe with white and pink geraniums trailing unceremoniously from the balcony. The windows and doors all had white trimmings and over all the shop had a wafting smell of outdated perfume. Not the boy's usual taste. In cursive writing on a sign above the door labelled the shop as '_Madam Monstrette's_'.

"Food anyone?" asked Jack.

I looked at him incredulously. "But we've just had brea-"

"Sure," Leo said, cutting me off.

I shot him an irritable glance. _Boys_. _Always hungry_. He gave me a blank look and I made a face. Jack tried to imitate the face which caused me to burst out laughing. I snorted accidentally which made Leo start laughing as well. Strangers gave us irritated looks as they saw the three teens in stitches.

"Let's just go in," said Jack between breaths.

We traipsed into the cafe, plopping down at the window seat. The room was lit by a small chandelier that swung dangerously from the roof. The cafe's interior was vaguely old fashioned, edging on provincial. No one else was in there except for a pudgy lady at the counter. The lady was wearing an apron the same shade of pink as the wallpaper that was stretching across her body making it obvious that it had been designed for a slimmer body; her skin was bulging in the gaps.

The lady came bustling up. "Welcome! I'm Madam Monstrette, but people just call me Lady M,"

She had one of those sickly sweet voices that you often found when someone who really didn't like you was trying to be polite.

She looked at Leo and Jack and licked her lips. My body stiffened. Was that a forked tongue? I shook my head to clear it. I must have just been hallucinating. Pudgy little ladies didn't have forked tongues.

"What would you like to order?" she continued in the same voice.

Jack opened his mouth but I cut him off. "We'll just have water thanks," I said.

Something about _'Lady M' _made me edgy and suspicious, yet all the boys had on their minds was food.

Lady M turned and looked at me her gaze murky and piercing. "What a pretty girl. Beautiful black hair. I once had hair like that,"

Jack made a noise halfway between a cough and a snort, looking at her ratty mop of hair. She whipped around to face him, but still with a bitter sweet smile on her face. Jack froze and fell silent, relaxing only when she went back behind the counter, making a big fuss over pouring the water with her back turned.

"Sparkling or straight?" she asked in a muffled voice, her back still turned.

"Er, just straight please," I said nervously.

She smiled over her shoulder, and brought out the glasses on a tray, her tooth catching on her lip before she hastily tucked it away.

"Here you are, darlings," said Lady M, setting the glasses of water down on our table so hard that they ought to have spilled.

Her teeth sparkled like sharpened diamonds in yet another cruel smile. That's when I knew for sure something was wrong. Water is definitely not tinged green. She licked her lips again. That _is_ a forked tongue. Well, unless someone had cut a section out of it by hand, but I seriously doubted that. I put my hand to my sword, my fingers feeling for the familiar shape of the hilt under the table.

"Leo, Jack. I think we should leave now," I said calmly, trying not to let my voice shake.

"So soon?" Lady M soothed, like she was genuinely sad to see us go.

"We can stay a bit longer, what's the harm?" Jack said, in an oddly blank voice.

Now that I noticed it, both the boys had rather glazed expression, staring off into the distance. Leo reached for the glass. I smacked his hand away and the glass fell and smashed. The floor boards sizzled where the green water had made contact.

"No. We need to leave _now,_" I said, forcefully.

"Not cool Maia," said Leo in the same blank voice Jack had used.

"Leo. Us. Leave. Now," I told him sternly.

I jumped as I heard the door slam.

"I don't think you'll be going anywhere," Lady M hissed, next to the now closed door.

She gave yet _another _smile, this time revealing pointed fangs. I studied her face. She had one gold tooth that glittered next to her left incisor, the tooth that had caught on her lip. Her eyes were green, but not beautiful like Leo's, more like the colour of rotten seaweed that had been left in a garbage truck for too long. Her pupils were sideways slits, like reptiles, and when she rolled up her sleeves, the skin on her arms was scaly and green.

"Be honoured, puny Demigod. I rarely test my strength on Half-Bloods. For I am the Mother of Monsters, the terrible Echidna!"

I didn't take 'puny' very well. I stood up in a shot, upturning the table which fell and began pathetically on the floor, but Leo and Jack stayed seated.

Then I stopped, confused. "Isn't that a small spiky animal?"

She growled, her reptilian face turning green and brown with rage.

"I hate Australia! I hate it for naming that stupid creature after me! And for that, you must die!"

_Dramatic, much_, I thought. Finally, I drew my sword, the hilt slipping warmly into my hand like an old friend. Madam _Monstrette_? Such a lame name and I didn't realise. Too late now. Using her delay to my advantage, I aimed a slash at her leg and she howled, a horrible wailing sound that made my teeth chatter. Unfortunately the injury didn't slow her down. She advanced, baring her teeth.

"A little help maybe?" I said loudly, hoping the boys would snap out of whatever trance they were in. I might be able to hold Echidna off for now, but it was only a matter of time until I tired and Echidna got a lucky shot. Impossibly, at the sound of my raised voice, the focus swam back into the boys eyes.

"What the-" stuttered Jack, looking utterly confused.

"Um, over here guys!" I hinted, not daring to turn away from Echidna.

Echidna looked just as bewildered as me that they had woken. "How did you...?"

I thought of the power that had flown through my voice. Breaking through my thoughts, she went to strike again, and this time my sword struck her chest. She wailed, a sickening sound more horrible than before and crumbed to dust. I looked away. I don't know why I felt bad killing monsters, but it was consciousness that probably wasn't a great thing in the case of battles.

"Wow," said Leo and Jack, impressed.

"Thanks for nothing," I grumbled, brushing the dust off my top.

"Hey it's not my fault!" said Jack defensively, raising his hands up in surrender.

"We can stay a bit longer, what's the harm?" I mimicked.

He glared at me and Leo laughed.

"You weren't much better," I reminded him.

Leo gave an apologetic grin. I just sighed.

"So, um, can we get back to looking for the Mogodorian Orchard?" Leo asked, breaking the tension as we walked out of the cafe, which's interior was now wrecked.

Jack nodded and I began scanning the area until my gaze fixated on something at the horizon.

"Would that be it?" I suggested quietly, pointing at the gloomy mountain that I was sure hadn't been there before, but made me even more certain that it was the place.

The mountain seemed to literally radiate magic and power. Seeing it made me think of Audrey and her fear of heights, which then made me even more determined to finish the quest. The two boys turned around to look at it. Jack's eyes widened, and he nodded. Leo face was its usual mix of concealed emotions, but he also gave a nod. It felt like the mountain was a hungry cat and we were the mice. I was also terrified, but I tried not to show it.

"Um, let's go then," said Jack.

He began to walk again but just then Rusty whined. I'd forgotten he was following us. He had probably just been sitting outside the cafe the whole time.

"He won't go any further," said Leo, like he wouldn't want to go any further either.

I looked back into Rusty's big brown eyes, and he seemed to say in my mind, _Please don't leave me_. My heart melted

"We'll be back soon," I whispered, burying my face into his fur.

Suddenly feeling very self-conscious I backed out, giving Rusty one last awkward pat on his leg. Rusty took the opportunity to lick me right across the face. When he finished he sat back down on his hind legs, looking satisfied. It would've been cute, but since he was so huge I got soaked. Leo and Jack both laughed. I smiled, wiping dog saliva off my cheek. Leo gave me a devilish grin, mouthing; _Slobber. Good look. _I stuck my tongue out playfully as a retort. The scrapping of claws across concrete sliced through the air as Rusty got ready to shadow travel. I turned to watch him ram head first into a wall, slipping into the darkness. I bent down on my knee, pretending to tie my shoelace while furiously blinking back tears.

I straighten up. Now that Rusty had left, it was time to go. A couple of streets down there was a rusty tin gate that read _Do Not Pass _on a sign nailed to the metal. It was was blocking the entrance to a thin gravely path that wound its way up the mountain.

"Welcome to Mount Leo," said Leo, rocking back on his heels.

Jack snorted. "Since when was it _your_ mountain?"

Leo gave Jack a perfect imitation of his all-knowing look and said, "People name mountains. I am naming this mountain Mount Leo,"

Jacks here his hands up in exasperation, knowing that there was no point arguing.

"Don't worry, it suits hum. Dark, gloomy and malevolent is totally Leo's type," I teased.

Leo pretended to take that as a complement. "Nicely phrased Maia,"

I smirked. "Let's just go, okay?"

Jack shrugged and pushed open the gate, which collapsed at his touch and hit the ground in a cloud of dust.

Leo whistled. "They really need to do some renovations,"

I gave a small smile and began to walk the path, the crackle of the gravel the only sound in the still air. The closer we got to the top, the bigger my sense of dread became. Once on the way I slipped on the edge, rocks cascading down the cliff. I toppled for a moment before Leo caught my arm and pulled my up before I could fall. I gave him an embarrassed smile before turning my attention back to not falling off, trying to keep my mind off how his hair flowed in the wind partly obscuring his vibrant gree-. I shook my head slightly. What's wrong with me? I had _never _been interested in boys. I blame you, Mum.

We began to make our way up the gravely track, all the while my legs were screaming at me to stop. In a spot of loose gravel I almost fell down the steep slope, but Leo dashed around my other side and steadied me with his shoulder. We didn't look at each other for at least a minute after, but then we eventually gave in, laughing. In about another hour we made it to the top, my lungs heaving pathetically. Leo and Jack took it better than me, as they'd had more training for this sort of stuff, yet we were all tired. Soaked in sweat, the three of us collapsed in front of a big set of ornate, painted sea green, set of iron gates.

"You wish to pass?" a slithery voice said from behind us.

_ Already? _I thought. _Can't you just let us catch our breath first? _Nevertheless we up quickly, brushing ourselves off and turning to face what must've been the sphinx. She had the body of a lion with sleek golden fur, but the head of a beautiful woman. Her dark hair was done in an elaborate bun but the locks that had fallen out were filthy and ratty. Her eyes narrowed when she saw us, and she had a cruel expression. Her harsh features were beautiful but in a terrifying way. They seemed to clash compared to the silky golden fur of her lower half.

"Yes," Leo answered confidently, way more confidently than I thought I could've spoken.

The Sphinx smiled. "Then answer this riddle. You answer correctly, you may pass. If you chose to leave now, I will let you leave unharmed. If you get it wrong," she paused. "I get a snack," she licked her lips with a pointed tongue. Two forked tongue ladies in one day? That's a first.

"What's the riddle then?" I asked, trying to sound just as confident as Leo but my voice still shook.

"What creature walks on four legs, then on two legs, then on three legs, and then dies?" she replied, smoothly.

I bit my tongue, clueless. "Er, could you let us talk about this?"

"Of course," she hissed, her forked tongue flickering between her pointy canines.

She paced for a moment and then bunched up her back legs into a sitting position.

We headed over to a scraggly bush furthest away from the Sphinx. It was one of only two plants on the patch of mountain. They were both dead.  
Jack, Leo and I went into a sort of huddle, squished up against the dead bush. I bit my lip as the sharp thorns bit into my legs.

"I read up on the Sphinx riddles before we left. I know this one. Leave it to me," Jack whispered.

_At least one of us came prepared._

"It's all yours," said Leo, nervously.

Jack turned to face the sphinx, his back set in a proper posture, but his knees were shaking. "My answer is a man. A man is what walks on four legs as a baby when crawling, then walks on two feet most of his life and then uses a cane during old age making it three legs. Then he dies," he added as an afterthought.

Her eyes narrowed and my heart stopped. _He got it wrong, _I though in terror. Then the Sphinx stepped back. "Correct,"

I hadn't realised I had been holding my breath until I let it out in relief. The Sphinx flicked her tail towards two closely packed boulders which began sliding apart, agonisingly slow. As they grew further away from each other, I saw a pair of ornate iron gates, painted a dark sea green. The patterns of the gates moved in real time, twisted in and out of each other. I caught my breath, transfixed. The land behind them was mostly obscured by the swirling metal, but I could see what looked like leaves. The Orchard. The boulders finally stopped moving, and the gates swung open. With hesitation Leo walked straight towards them and stumbled. Just where there was solid ground before, there was a metre-and-a-half wide chasm. A river flowed far below, the churning of water roaring in my ears. His yelp of fear snapped my eyes of the fence. Jack just stop there, still dumbstruck from the sudden appearance of the chasm. I, however, ran to the edge and caught hold of his hand.

"Leo!" I gasped, as his fingers found a firm hold.

His green eyes were wide and terrified. I was down on my knees, and they were digging uncomfortably into the grass, my torso far over the edge. He grabbed hold of my other hand and pulled himself up using my body. My heart hammered in my chest so loud that I thought he must've heard it. He clambered over the edge and onto the grass next to me, his fingers sore and blistered. Our eyes connected for a moment until I looked away. Hastily realising that we were still holding on to each other, we broke apart, standing up awkwardly.

"Thanks," he mumbled, not looking at me.

"I'd say we're even," I said, out of breath.

Not wanting to look at Leo, I looked around. The Sphinx was nowhere to be seen, and the shadows around the mountain seemed darker and more ominous. I swallowed and glanced nervously in Jack's direction. He flicked his eyebrows up at me. I gave him a look to say, _don't be so judgemental, okay? _He smirked and turned so that he was facing Leo as well.

"Um... so how are we going to cross?" Jack asked, pointing out the obvious in a way only Jack could do.

"I'm working on it." Leo replied, his face... Well it was out of sight actually. He had his head buried in his backpack, clearly rummaging for something.

Eventually he pulled out a rope ladder with filed bronze plating on either side.

"Here you are," he said proudly, holding it up for us to see.

I frowned. It looked like something a Hephaestus kid would make.

Jack was thinking the same thing. "Where in Hades did you get that?"

Leo shrugged like it was nothing. "Stole it from cabin nine. They had so many they probably didn't even notice it was gone,"

I gave him a reproachful look.

"Awww, come on. They make at least five a day," he whined.

My lip twitched, but my thoughts were already on other things. At least Leo had a somewhat useful trait from his godly parent. What's the use being a demigod if I just get the power of being pretty? Even charmspeak isn't exactly helpful if I don't even know if I can use it. It hit me with a pang. It wasn't jealousy though, more longing. I wished for powers I didn't have.

"Get ready to experience wonders like you've never seen before!" said Leo, holding the ladder loosely in his left hand.

I gave the ladder a sceptical look. I had no idea how it was supposed to help us get across, but I trusted Leo that it would work.

Suddenly without warning, Leo threw the stolen ladder into the chasm. I watched him in disbelief.

"Why'd you just throw it away?" I said indignantly.

"Just watch," he said calmly, np still facing the cliff edge.

I bit my tongue and looked back to where he had thrown the ladder. Amazingly, the ladder was floated up, little bronze hooks clipping themselves to both sides of the chasm. As it floated the bronze plates on the side of the ladder curled across it neatly, turning the ladder into a solid bridge. Now I got why Leo called it a 'floating' ladder. Even Jack looked impressed.

"Wow," he said blatantly.

"What did you expect? I was from me!" Leo joked, grinning that sarcastic grin of his.

"Hmmm." I put my finger on my chin, pretending to think hard. "I was thinking you'd more likely give us a piece of driftwood to get across."

Jack laughed, and Leo punched me playfully.

"Ladies first?" Jack said, gesturing with his hand.

I gave a small laugh. "Uh, uh. You are not pulling that again."

But I stepped towards the edge anyway. No one wanted to test the bridge first, but like I said, I trusted Leo.

I step on to it hesitantly at first, but then went faster out of nervousness until I was doing a quick jog. I reached the other side without the bridge giving the slightest wobble. I had to praise the Hephaestus kids' skills. The bridge was flawless.

"Coming?" I asked, looking over my shoulder.

Leo went next, and Jack followed him. Meeting on the other side, Leo muttered something in Greek and the ladder/bridge floated up into his hand, then shrunk to the size of a mouse. I wondered how long it took the cabin nine kids to make those ladders. Leo walked through the ornate iron gates, Jack and I following, brushing my fingers across the swirling metal. At the touch back began to creep into my vision, but as soon as my fingers left the iron it disappeared just as quickly. I gave the gate a puzzled glance, my brow furrowing, but soon enough my attention was on other things. As soon as Jack had walked past the gates, being the last one in, the swirling gates slammed shut with such a deafening clang that I jumped. Jack looked at the gates in horror. Leo started towards the gates to try to open them by force but I caught his arm, feeling his strong muscles rippling under the skin.

I shook my head. "Don't touch them. It won't work,"

He went body went slack and I let go of his arm. His expression was one of pure uncertainty.

"Um, so what do we do now?" Leo said quietly.

"Look for a fruit, I guess," said Jack.

I was trembling. Getting past the sphinx was bad enough, but this was terrifying. Rows and rows of trees stretched out like a winding maze. The leaves of the trees were withered and dry the trunks were a dull brown. I froze. _Great. All the trees are dead_. What would this mean for Audrey? Shaking, Jack took a step forward, but just as he did, the world turned black. I stumbled backwards as I heard the rustling of moving leaves around me.

"Leo? Jack?" I called, my fear evident in my voice.

There was no reply. I began blinking rapidly, as my vision came back. I was still surrounded by the dead trees as if I hadn't moved. I frowned. There was something strange about the trees, apart from being dead. They were as thick as hedges, impossible to see or climb through. I turned around, taking in my surroundings. The iron gates weren't behind me anymore, just thick leaves, and I couldn't see Leo or Jack anywhere. _This _is_ a maze_. I heard Jack call out, a clear sound in the midst of the faint rustling, so quiet that it could've been thousands of little voices whispering.

"Jack? Where are you?" I called back.

Again, just silence. I pursed my lips. I had a feeling that this would've come down with me walking around, utterly lost. I took my first step forward, stepping on a twig with a loud crack. I flinched. If there was anything in this maze, it sure knew where I was now. I kept going until I was face to face with a tree. I slowly put my fingers through the leaves, groping around until I got a firm grip on a sturdy branch. Feeling a little better I continued until I was climbing the tree at a steady pace. I was almost at the top, just one more lift away. I reached my hand to grab the flat top of the tree, but as soon as my hand went past the point where the top of the tree met the sky there was a sharp hissing sound. I yelped as the skin of my hands sizzled away before my eyes, bloody and raw. I withdrew my hand quickly, and in becoming lower than the tree top, the skin began to heal itself. The skin that had been previously burnt was now only a flushed pinky colour. I stared at it for a moment in wonder. I gave the top of the tree a dirty look.

"You really don't want to make it just a little bit easy do you?" I said angrily, aiming a kick at the nearest tree.

That cut out running back the way I came as an option, but hey, I'm a demigod. I could get through this.

A few minutes passed until whatever was living in the maze finally caught up with me. I stiffened as a small clicking sound came from directly behind me. Not moving too quickly in fear of provoking whatever was behind me, and moving slowly just out of fear itself, I turned around, the dead grass crackling underneath my blistered feet. It was all I could do to prevent myself from screaming. I was now facing an armour plated scorpion the size of a small child. The folding plates of its shell were a deep red; the plating on the legs, dark black. At first I thought the belly too was plated in thick armour, seeing the dark black of its underside. When looking more closely in the rough ten seconds I had, I saw that it wasn't shell, it was just the ominous darkness of the scorpion's skin. The over-sized arachnid hissed, arching its sting arched over its back. The tip of the skin glistened with venom.

I swallowed the gathering saliva in my throat. "Nice to know you're prepared."

The scorpion hissed again, and louder this time. I backup hastily, stumbling over my own feet only for my back to push against the bristly leaves of the dead trees. I backed up against the hedge like trees. Even Echidna's looks didn't compare to the malevolent nature of the scorpion. My hair clung to my face with sweat and my hands were hot and slippery, constantly sliding down the hilt of my sword. I gritted my teeth. I could do this. Suddenly the scorpion lunged, scuttling with an uncanny amount of speed. I knew I was too late to dodge so I swung my sword blindly, the blade connecting with the closest part of the scorpion it could reach. It gave a sort of strangled squeak as one of its legs was sliced cleanly off. Ew. However, it recovered quickly. Only one leg down out of eight. Not a problem for a fellow like that. It darted it again, silently and swiftly. This time, I slashed at its back, but my sword just bounced off its magical protective armour in a shower of sparks. Another hiss came from behind me. I whipped around to see the scorpion again.

"How did you...?"

I turned back around but there the scorpion was. In the same spot it had been moments ago. Then I realised. I was totally screwed. One scorpion was hard enough, but two? I stumbled. My limbs felt hot and heavy, the ground dusty and rock hard. Spikey Leg Number One jabbed with its tail, the sting poised for attack, while Spikey Leg Number Two scuttled around so they were both on the same side, pressing me into the hedge-like trees. Then the first scorpion made the mistake of rearing on its hind legs, exposing the only spot not protected with hard shell. I stabbed it in the stomach as the scorpion have one last half-hearted hiss. The dead scorpion's body flipped over as its legs curled in to make a shrivel corpse, blowing to dust it the wind. Not stopping for a moment, scorpion two pushed me right into the trees, a sharp stinging pain shooting up my arm. _That's must've been one sharp twig, _I thought, as I did a speedy dart to the side. The fight was faster now, and more intense. My vision was blurry and my arm felt hot and heavy, but I was determined to finish this. With a flurry of sword strokes I finally got a jab at the scorpion's belly where it burst into a whirl of dust. My sword feel out of my hand and hit the dusty ground with a thump. My arm felt like it was a hundred kilos. _Was that tree twig drugged or something? _I thought were dancing across my eyes. I stagger forwards. Eventually I looked down at my arm. A thick coal black sting was protruding from my forearm. The skin around the sting was purple, a pussy yellow and blown up like a balloon. With a shaky hand I pulled the sting out of my forearm, which was probably the most confronting thing I had ever done. I screamed, being hit with a rush of overwhelming pain. Gluggy red-brown blood poured from the wound. My breaths were becoming shorter each time I inhaled. My legs collapsed, leaving me sprawled on the ground, silent tears flowing down my cheeks.

"Maia!" Leo voice yelled, from somewhere through the trees to my right.

I didn't have the strength to yell back, just a hoarse croak came out of my throat. The scorpion had taken care of that. A lump rose in my throat and black crept in at the corner of my vision. I was going to die here. I knew it. But through the excruciating pain, I had one thought. I had to find a fruit, and I just couldn't give up now. I started crawling along the rocky path of the maze. My legs gave way again for a split second, making me collapse on to the ground. I felt a stinging on my face as a nasty gash was sliced across my forehead. I had landed on to a pile of sharp stones, the tips now stained with my blood. If there was another scorpion I wouldn't be able to fight it. The one thought continued to race through my head. The mogodorian seeds. I got up and crawled towards the nearest tree. Now I noticed it, something about the dead leaves didn't seem genuine. I stuck my uninjured arm in and groped around a little, but this time I wasn't looking for a hand hold. My fingers came to contact with something round and slimy and I clamped them down. I ripped my hand out to see a round purpley object, covered in green goo. It wasn't pretty, but it was most certainly a fruit. I stared at my hand in wonder and only then I realised that the dead leaves were just a disguise, to fool people into thinking there were no fruits. This maze must've been tricking people for years. With a weak hand I put the fruit my pocket. If I was to find the others and make it out, we couldn't forget what we came here for. I gave a wracking cough, blood dripping out my mouth like dribble. I swallowed the blood down feebly and kept on crawling, about to collapse from the pain. From somewhere to the right, I heard footsteps. Two pairs of footsteps. I was too tired for my brain to process it. I gave into the pain, heaving on the ground. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a pair of ripped shoes. Daring myself to look up, I started blankly at the familiar faces, my vision only a slight in amidst darkness. It was Leo and Jack.

"Maia," Leo whispered hoarsely, looking at my blood covered body.

He stared at my arm then up to my face. I coughed up more blood pathetically, moaning. I wanted to scream from the sting, but I couldn't. I couldn't move anything. His eyes swept up my body, until he spotted the fruit in my pocket. At that, he looked a bit confused, but still determined. I started noticing the little things. The dark chocolate coloured sky, the whisky clouds floating across, the rustling and waving of leaves like a dancing choir as the wind blew them about. I saw twinkling of stars and felt the crunchy grass under my body.

Leo's voice was the only thing that snapped me out of it. "Was this the only fruit there was in the maze?" he was asking urgently.

My gaze wandered to the many trees. "No," I choked out

He gave me a look of endearing exasperation. "Then why in Hades didn't you eat it yourself?"

Leo's voice now had a slight mix of amusement, but for once it still couldn't conceal his terror and relief.

He pulled out the fruit from my ragged jeans and started peeling it with a dagger (classic demigod fruit peeler), to get to the seeds inside. As his peeled his elbow knocked my arm. I whimpered in pain.

His vivid green eyes filled with panic. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry,"

He began to peel more carefully, but not daring to go any slower. Finally with a loud squelching sound he grabbed a seed, wiping of the green goo onto his trousers. The little that I could still see was blurry and out of focus. My senses were shutting down. All I could hear was the squishing noise of the seeds in his hand. I could feel the poison flowing through my veins, immobilising my insides.

"Ok, hold still,"

His voice sounded distant and far away. I closed my eyes, embracing the pain. I barley felt him force the seed down my throat, but when he did my vision cleared and the pain disappeared to an aching throb. My insides still felt a little numb, but not painful. My face and arm was still covered in blood, but I was no longer hurt. I began to sit up slowly.

"How do you feel?" he asked, his stunning green eyes boring into mine.

"Like my insides have been burnt, then put in the fridge," I joked weakly.

He laughed, and gave me a bear hug. Ouch, but I appreciated it anyway. Jack gave me a superior look, and I mouthed back _what?_ Leo pulled back and handed me a fluffy towel from my backpack that he had slung over his shoulder. I gave my backpack a questioning look.

"We found it next to you," he said shrugging.

"Oh,"

I looked down at the white towel, kind of feeling guilty to ruin it with all that blood. I wiped down my body anyway. I checked my arm to see the skin no longer puffy and purple, and then stood up, hoisting my bag on to my shoulder, leaving the now red towel in the ground.

"Um, let's go then," said Jack.

Leo and I nodded, but then he paused.

"Er..." Leo said. "Shouldn't we go and get more fruits for the camp?"

"Oh. Right. You get them like this..." I plunged my hand into the fake dead leaves and pulled out another ripe fruit, which was then promptly stuffed into my backpack. Leo and Jack both proceeded to get more fruits, also housing them in their bags. After our back packs were stuffed so full that the zips would no longer close, we started to find the exit of the maze. Leo had so many fruits he had to carry one in his hand. Suddenly he started off the path taking turns in the maze without hesitation.

"Um, what are you doing?" I asked.

Leo was good, but not that good. Not knowing-exactly-where-to-how-in-an-unknown-death-trap-maze good.

He frowned at me. "I'm getting us out of here,"

"And how do you know where you're going?" asked Jack slowly, as we jogged to keep up.

The wind was blowing my hair into my face, and I stopped for a moment to pull a stray strand out of my mouth.

Finally Leo replied, and a not very helpful one at that. "It pulses," was all he said.

I gave Leo a disbelieving look and pulled out fruit from my own bag. To my surprise, I found that Leo was right. The closer to the exit we got, the more the fruit pulsed. Or at least I hoped that's what it meant, not the other way round. Still, from then on it was surprisingly easy to find the way out. I still felt pretty dizzy and once along the way I almost fell over but quick as a flash Leo caught me (_again_). We both looked down, but then he grinned at me, with that mischievous grin that I'd come to love. I smiled back. _How many times has he saved me today? _I thought wearily as we continued to trudge through the maze.

I recognised the green iron gates as soon we saw them at the end of the last turn. I ran the last couple of meters and met no outward security. I supposed that they didn't expect a live person to exit the gates. I quickly spotted the sphinx in a dark corner, keeping myself a least a two meter radius from her. She didn't look too happy that we'd survived, but she didn't advance. As we started to walk down the mountain I only just then fully appreciated the view from up there. It took less than half the time going back down the mountain, as we went even touching the ground. Leo simply just whipped out his complicated ladder contraption, or rather the Hephaestus ladder contraption, and we went down as fast as ever. Also the fact that I was now bounding with energy helped too. So many sarcastic comments and jokes were made that soon my ribs were saw from laughing. I had a feeling that it was coming back from the brink of death that had put me in a good mood, truly happy to be alive.

Waiting at the bottom of the hill were the Pegasi, stamping they're hooves on the bright green grass. Alive grass. For once. It was nice to see the Pegasi, even if they _did_ back out on us. Jack quickly informed us that now they had gotten a rest, they would be able to take us all the way back to camp. I stood on a stone so I could get back on to Shadow, stroking her fine hair. Before take-off, the Pegasi formed into a V formation. Thunder with Leo in the lead and Blaze and Shadow on either side. Blaze and Jack were a little late taking off as Blaze had chosen the moment to start eating the fresh looking grass. Only with a lot of encouragement (then turning to insults as Blaze refused to move) and digging in of his heels did Jack get Blaze to spread his chestnut and white wings. Shadow bickered impatiently, waiting for Jack and Blaze to catch up. The ride was considerably smooth, but I was still worried. With all the time in the maze, what if we didn't get back in time to cure Audrey?

Suddenly I heard a loud neigh as Shadow reared up for no apparent reason. I was catapulted over her head as she reared up higher. It took my brain a couple of seconds to register what was happening. What was happening was a side effect of not having access to a saddle. I was falling.

I braced myself to hit the ground, but by the time I should've hit the ground, the impact didn't come. Slowly, I peeked over my shoulder. There was a ravine, and I was falling right down it. There was no water below, just jagged rock. I heard screams, but then I realised they were my own.

"Maia!" Jack yelled from somewhere far above.

I hit the rock with a crack. A sharp pain stung through my chest. I wasn't sure, but by the feel of it, my ribs had broken. Unfortunately my back pack hadn't fallen with me and was probably still on Shadow, so I didn't have any ambrosia and nectar to heal myself. Just my luck. Stiff with pain, I tried to stand but I fell back down. Ok. Now I can't walk. Silly me. That pegasus is really annoying. My ribs hurt with a stabbing pain and I gasped for air. Luckily, the after effects of the mogodorian seeds seemed to withhold the pain a little. Time for plan B. Of course, there was no plan B, but that didn't matter. I looked around. All my survivor instincts came in. I remembered that most of those instincts were from watching back to back Man Vs Wild episodes, in which he was in a jungle _not _a ravine. However, I persevered. There was no water which was bad, but there was a small cave that might have a pool in it. I crawled towards it, now thinking of the cute lizard that Bear Grills had rescued to keep my mind off things. I entered the cave, my knees bloody from the sharps stone on the ground. Then (of course) it went pitch black, and for the third time in two days I could no longer see.

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**A / N: **Hehe, cliff hanger ... ish.


	7. Chapter 7

**A / N: **All these chapters are pre-written, so since I had a long break, I decided to upload another chapter today. This one is a bit short though.

**Disclaimer:**I don't own Percy Jackson anymore more than I own the rights to jam doughnuts.

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7

_Really?_ I think I was being blinded more than I was being allowed to see.

When I could _finally_ see, I was unexpectedly on the other side of the ravine, yet my backpack was still on the other side. I staggered for a bit and fell back down again. Shadow flew across landing next to me, stamping her hooves and folding her huge silver wings back to fit against her body. I spotted one of my partly severed backpack straps around her neck, leaving the backpack dangling precariously. I was too low down to reach it and couldn't bring myself to try to stand again. Looking across the chasm I saw Jack and Leo peering of the edge of the cliff trying to find out where I'd gone. Even from where I was I could see Leo's brows furrowing.

"Hey!" I called across to them.

He looked up and waved. Grinning, he tapped Jack, pointed, and soon they came flying over. Well, Leo and Thunder did. Blaze started flying in a random direction while Jack tugged on the reins in vain. Leo dismounted smoothly and stood beside me. After watching Jack rest his head down on Blaze's neck in despair, I laughed and put my fingers between my lips, emitting a clear, and very loud, whistle. Blaze's ears pricked up (from _very _far away) and soon the sound thundering of hooves came to right next to my ear. While Jack recovered, panting and staggering off muttering curses under his breath in Ancient Greek, Leo gave me a slightly envious look.

"What?" I said in disbelief. "You can't whistle?"

Leo gave an adorably nervous grin. "Yeah. No matter how hard I try, it sounds like I'm trying to suck the coffee out of someone's phone,"

My face broke into a winning smile as I laughed. "The coffee out if someone's phone?"

His lip twitched. "Yeah, well,"

I noticed his eyes fall on a stray strand of hair that had made its way out of its place tucked behind my ear. I pushed it back automatically, suddenly very conscious that I was still sitting on the ground, but had no chance to do otherwise. Leo must've realised this as a frown line appeared on his forehead.

Before Leo could say anything however, Jack asked the obvious question "How did you get out?" Jack asked.

He said it almost as if he wished I _hadn't _got out. I bit my tongue though, remembering my promise to be nicer to Jack.

"Well there was this weird cave thing and I went into it-" I began

"Just like you. See an evil looking cave and walk straight into it," Leo interrupted, laughing.

I rolled my eyes and continued, raising my voice over his laughter. "_Anyway_, as soon as I got into the cave, it did this weird teleporty thing and landed me up here,"

Jack looked down at me thoughtfully. "I think I've heard about that ravine. It's from some sort of Greek Myth. Something about one-hundred and twenty-six people that fell down and broke their nec-,"

"Kind of pointless though, as people can just go into the cave and escape," I rebutted hastily, not wanting to hear about the people and their gruesome deaths.

"Well, most people aren't stupid enough to explore dark magical caves are they?" said Leo.

I punched him playfully. "Shut up,"

The movement caused all the pain of my broken ribs to come at full force. Not completely pointless. It can still break every bone in your body. Leo must have seen me wince from the pain.

"You're hurt?!"

I nodded, clenching my teeth, determined not to cry out. Leo started rummaging in his backpack.

"It's alright, we have the fruits," Leo assured me, his face out of view.

"But Chiron said they only worked on magical injuries," Jack said blandly.

Leo looked up and hesitated before he spoke. "You said the ravine was magical,"

"But falling isn't," Jack retorted.

They began to argue but I had already tuned them out. Why were they even fighting anyway? It's not like this injury was life threatening. Well, I don't think it is.

Finally I interrupted them. "Save the fruits for Audrey. We can use just ambrosia and nectar for now."

They both looked at me.

"Maia-" Leo started.

"Just get it," I said between my teeth.

Leo sighed and went back to searching through his backpack. _Why is it always me getting hurt?_ I thought dully; but I knew why. I was the least experienced camper here and I couldn't fight for my life. Nor did I have much common sense for that matter.

"Seriously? I'm all out!" Leo said, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

"Wait, you're out? When did you get hurt?" I exclaimed.

God, the thing I hated most in quests was splitting up. And what was worse, was that when I'm split up, I'm probably the worst off. Leo gets attacked, he can fight them off and avoid getting a major injury. When I'm split off, I get fatally wounded and just lie there waiting for help. I broke myself out of my thoughts. I would do me no good thinking like that. I looked back and saw that Leo was avoiding looking at me.

"Um, in the maze but I'm healed now," he mumbled finally.

My eyes flickered towards an only half healed cut just above his upper lip that was still raw red. A huge pang if guilt shot through me. I should have been there.

"It's fine," I said quietly. "I can manage until we get to camp."

I began to stand up, ignoring Leo's protests. I shakily planted my feet firmly on the grass and lifted myself up. I only got one step before I fell back down again. Leo flinched.

"I am so sick of being injured!" I burst out angrily from my place sprawled on the grass.

Leo fell silent. I began to get up again, leaning heavily on Shadow for balance.

"Uh, I found some ambrosia," Jack said, breaking the silence.

He handed it over to me and I took it gratefully with the hand that was not wrapped around Shadow's neck and ate. I looked at my arm where I had been stung by the scorpion. It had healed now and there was only a small pale circular scar (that had already almost faded) to show that anything had happened at all. The ambrosia had mostly helped with the healing of my ribs, but the pain still hovered beneath the surface. It was basically night time now. I dug out my digital watch from my bag to check the time. Ten forty five. I pressed one of the buttons at the top to check the date. I almost dropped the watch in shock. We'd been away from camp for ten days. _Ten days_. How had we been away for so long?

"How has it been _ten_ days?" I asked, voicing my thoughts while fastening the watch to my wrist.

"Time travels differently in monstrous places. We were five days in the maze. Then a few in the theme park also," Jack said.

"Five days," Leo repeated, stunned.

That meant we'd been away from camp for ten days. Away while Audrey lay dying in the infirmary. As soon as I thought about Camp Half-Blood I got a pang of home sickness. That made me think about Dad. How come he never told me about my Mom? I could never stay angry at my Dad for long though. A wave of guilt hit me. Would I even see him again? All this time on the quest and I hadn't thought about him once. I felt so small.

Jack and Leo both mounted their Pegasi quickly and easily while I mount painfully and slowly. Jack held out his hand to help (Jack? Help? What is this world?) but I pushed it away, determined to get up on my own. I shakily slid into place on Shadow's back, feeling her strong large muscles ripple underneath me. She began to run, her hooves pounding the ground below. We were in the air again, the familiar wing beat matched the rubbing of feathers against my thighs. A wave of nausea hit me. _That's it. I have definitely taken after Audrey, _I thought as I tried not to look down. It was kind of fun though. I rested my head on Shadows neck. It was an _amazing_ view. Until Leo's pegasus blocked it by pulling up next to me and Shadow. "Race you," he called, before speeding ahead.

I rolled my eyes and smiled. I dug my heels into Shadow's flank. She may be _extremely_ annoying, but she _is_ fast.

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**A / N: **Please Please Please review!


	8. Chapter 8

**A / N: **Hello again! I didn't have anything to do, so I posted another chapter! And it's not the last one, so don't worry.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Percy Jackson, nor do I have the money to buy the rights. Come on, TattsLotto!

* * *

8

My head lolled against Shadow's neck as I slept the trip away. Flying on a pegasus was rather like being rocked to sleep in a cradle, especially for tired Half-Blood's. I woke up instantly as something cold and wet landed on my cheek. I looked up and saw the pale grey clouds covering the sky as far as the eye could see. _It was just rain, _I thought sleepily. Resisting the urge to close my eyes and go back to sleep, I sat up. I could see Thalia's pine somewhere in the distance, and smiled to myself. I looked across and saw Jack, fast asleep; and Leo looking out onto the horizon, his eyes glazed over. I rested my head back on Shadow's neck. Almost there. I remembered the Oracles prophecy.

_You will find what you set out to collect._ Check. One mogodorian fruit delivered.

_A part of your heart you will resurrect. _Still no clue.

_Set out across to active your goal, forced to travel like a giant mole._ Done. One hellhound ridden. One shadow travel trip done.

Shivers went down my spine as we crossed the magical protective border and into camp. The little bubble of happiness in side my chest grew enormously. The pegasi banked steadily as they flew down to the stables with me clinging on for dear life. Landing was the worst part. My stomach jolted as Shadow hit the ground with a thump that belonged to hooves connecting with the soft straw of the stables. Shadow nickered happily, glad to be home. I slid off and landed on my feet for once. The ambrosia and nectar had seemed to of healed my ribs for the most of it on the trip back. My limbs still felt heavy and seemed to way me down. Yet we weren't the only ones exhausted; the three pegasi had already gone into their private stalls, and we're happily eating their way through a barrel of oats.

A squat man with curly black hair was leaning against a stall door, his Hawaiian patterned shirt sagging pathetically.

"The brats are back," Mr. D drawled.

"Hello to you too," Leo muttered under his breath.

Jack snorted and my lip twitched. Mr. D narrowed his eyes at us.

"Come with me. Chiron needs you," Mr. D barely have us a second before, "Big House! Now!"

His expression was almost grave. Audrey. That must be it to make him look so serious. Mr D cares about the campers!? What did we miss? We followed him into the Big House. The camp was deserted of campers, and for a moment I wondered why until I checked my watch to see that it was four am. Everyone was still sleeping.

Chiron opened the door before we even got there. His expression was so serious that I didn't dare make a sound. He had massive bags under his eyes and when he spoke his voice was extremely hoarse.

"Did you get a fruit?" he asked us urgently.

"Um, yeah. More than one actually," said Leo.

Chiron smiled weakly. "Come,"

We hurried in; Mr. D promptly went to his place at the poker table.

I spotted Audrey immediately. She was splayed on the couch, draped in a red blanket. Not in the infirmary I noticed, but that was probably because they want to watch her for any signs of change.

Sienna Franscicus from the Apollo cabin was leaning over her, trickling ambrosia and nectar down her throat.

"A fruit if you will,"

Leo grabbed a fruit from his backpack, hesitated, and then gave it to me.

"You should do it," he said quietly. "She's your friend."

I gave him a grateful smile. I used Leo's blade to cut through the thick, hard skin, almost cutting my own fingers on multiple occasions. Finally I broke through to the fleshy purple inside of the fruit.

Small gatherings of pale green seeds clustered inside the fruit. I picked one out carefully, wiping the excess purple goo on to my jeans. Ew. I looked at Chiron and he nodded. I slowly bent down on to my knees next to Audrey. I wasn't sure how to do this. What if I didn't do it right and she choked? I had to try. I slipped the seed down her throat. Sienna massaged her neck, helping it down, since Audrey was in no state to swallow herself. _Thank the gods for the Apollo kids healing powers, _I thought. I gave Sienna a small smile. Suddenly Audrey's eyes snapped open and she began to splutter.

"What happened?" she stuttered sitting up.

"Lie back down," Chiron told her sternly. "Sitting will make it worse. Your body's still healing,"

She lay down again, pulling the red blanket up to her chin. I felt as if a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Audrey was safe.

"Did we beat it?" she asked me, her big brown eyes wide and vulnerable.

I smiled. "Yes. All thanks to you,"

She gave me a look to tell me the she knew it was a white lie, but appreciated it anyway. I gave a small shrug.

"Whatever. Don't pass me a mirror. My hair must be hideous," Audrey moaned.

I laughed. Audrey was back to herself alright.

"Can I sit up now?" Audrey whined to Chiron after a few seconds.

He sighed. He knew it was no use arguing against Audrey. "Fine. But you're not allowed to stand for a couple of hours at the least,"

Leo was looking uncomfortable. I'd had to stand up as soon he'd given me the fruit, but I knew it wasn't his fault. We'd had limited time and we had needed to get out of the maze fast,

"And don't think you're off the hook," Chiron said, reading our minds.

He handing me a glass of liquid nectar and ambrosia which I began sipping on through a little paper straw. Leo was looking so guilty I had to laugh.

"You'd better say hello to the rest of the camp. They're worried," Chiron told us after I had finished the drink. I nodded and with one last throw up of the glass I popped an ice block in my mouth. My eyes widened as I tried not to spit the cube back out. I tried to chew it as fast as I could and finally swallowed.

"Gods, that was cold!" I said and Audrey laughed.

Jack nodded towards the door, clearly wanting to go and get back to a book or something.

I looked down at my clothes. My T-shirt was in tatters and my jeans were torn. Not stylishly like Audrey's pair, just in pathetic strips. I didn't dare look in the mirror to see my face and hair. I could already see that my skin was smeared with dirt. The campers would think I was a psycho when they saw me. I breathed in and walked outside on to the creaky porch. Immediately Katrina (a daughter of Demeter) spotted me and started clapping. A few seconds later Jack and Leo came out to stand next to me and one by one all the campers began clapping. The applause seemed to be everlasting. A boy from the Hephaestus cabin wolf-whistled and Leo nudged me, raising his eyebrows up and down playfully. I stepped on his foot and he laughed. Jack was blushing deeply, looking as red as a tomato. Megan came running up to me surprisingly fast for a girl in heels that high.

"Wow! Congrats!" she said and I smiled. Then she leant in towards me, whispering, "Tough _and_ pretty? Good look."

"_Megan_," I complained laughing.

When I looked back Jack and Leo had split off and gone to talk to their friends in their cabins. Jack and his siblings were discussing the strategies that were used on the quest. Leo was surrounded by some of his Hermes friends where they were having and argument with the Hephaestus kids. No doubt about the stolen ladders. I was quickly swarmed by a gaggle of Aphrodite teens; all except for Sylvia, who was sulking with her arms crossed in a corner. After about a billion completely unrelated questions from Meg, Katie and Emily I excused myself and walked over to where Leo and his friends were passionately battling for their case.

"If you wanted the ladders for yourself you would have guarded them better," the boy next to Leo was saying.

"You don't think a trip wire and twenty sticks of dynamite was enough then Tom?" A scrubby Hephaestus girl grumbled.

"In the long run I'd say no," said Tom cheekily.

"YOU BLEW UP ALL OUR TOOLS!" the burly guy opposite Tom bellowed.

"You can always make new ones though," said Leo brightly.

The girl that had first spoken noticed me and pointed. "What do _you_ think Maia?"

All the kids turned around and looked at me expectantly.

"Well," I began. "Without the ladder, we would have failed the quest,"

The Hermes kids cheered and Leo grinned at me. The girl narrowed her eyes.

"But," I paused. "I still think Leo owes you something."

It was the Hephaestus cabin's turn to cheer. Leo rolled his eyes at me, but I noticed he was smiling. Tom slapped Leo on the back, grinning. "She got you there Leo!"

The girl turned to me and held her hand out. "The name's Taylor. What do you think we should make him do?"

"Make him build something for us!" someone yelled out.

Taylor smiled. "Okay then. Maia, let me rephrase that. What should Leo _build_ for us?"

I put my finger on my chin as if in deep thought. "What about something involving lots of bricks?"

Leo let out a huge sigh and Tom howled with laughter.

We all headed back to our cabins for one last time before the camp fire. I got to cabin ten first, dragging my grubby backpack through the doorway and dumping it on the ground. I went through my bag, grabbing my stuff for a shower. Soon enough I realised my bag had been completely raided of any cosmetics. Eventually I gave up and hopped into the shower. I watched as the shower floor went from pristine white to muddy brown as I washed the dirt from my skin and hair. I hopped out of the warm water and changed into denim shorts and the orange Camp Half-Blood.  
I sat in front of the fan, not bothering to blow dry my hair, just letting it air drying instead. The door opened and a small girl with fiery orange hair that I didn't recognise walked in. She was soaked through, as if it had been raining. The girl's lip was bleeding where her braces had cut it. My heart softened. She looked a few years younger than me, and her hair was matted, her clothes dirty, and her eyes were puffy as if she had been crying. _She's new_, I thought.

"Um, hi," I said, not sure what else to say.

She looked up at me and I saw that her blue eyes still held a trace of fear.

She sniffed and wiped her eyes. "Hi,"

I patted the floor beside me and she sat down.

"You're new?" I asked quietly.

She nodded mutely.

When it was clear she wasn't going to say anything else, I said. "Well my name's Maia,"

"Holly," she said.

_A pretty name, _I thought. Then I heard Leo's voice in the back of my head saying, _Well Holly, my name is Mistletoe. How do you do? _I bit back a smile. Suddenly she shivered.

I jumped up instantly and grabbed an old jumper from my bag. "Take this. And I think your own might need throwing out too,"

It was true. Her jacket was completely shredded. Holly took it gratefully. She ripped the remains of her jacket from her shoulders and put on mine.

"It suits you," I told her. I still remembered what I had felt when I'd first come to camp, so my sympathy was fully extended.

She gave a small laugh. "James would've thought so too. He's such a fashion addict,"

"Who's James?"

She looked at me. I crossed my legs and shuffled up next to her expectantly.

She laughed again. "He's my twin brother,"

I looked at her, surprised. "Your twin? So he's a Demigod too?"

Holly flinched a little when I said the word _'Demigod' _but she nodded all the same. "He's still outside. This horse guy's talking to him,"

We slowly began to have a relaxed conversation. She asked about my quest and I asked about what she did as hobbies. I gave her the empty top bunk next to mine and at some point Audrey walked in and I introduced them.

"Wow Maia. Your hair is _super _fluffy," said Audrey when she saw me.

I moaned. "That's what happens when someone steals your anti-frizz cream,"

"Right... about that..."

We walked down to the campfire as a threesome and sat down together on the grass.

Mr. D stood up from his chair and started his speech. "Settle down puny Demigods. You little midgets-"

Chiron coughed. "The quest, Dionysos,"

Mr. D glared at him. "Of course. The fates turned on us and let the ungrateful brats live. Hurrah and all that. In other events, there will be capture the flag this Sunday..."

Near the end, Jack, Leo and I were presented with golden laurel wreaths. Huge cheers went around. The enthusiasm seemed to be doubled as most Demigods die on their quests and are never seen again. I guess it was a good change for the camp. We got to burn the burial shrouds that our cabins had made us while we were gone. Mine was so beautiful; sky blue with a sword wrapped in a heart, that Leo slung me over his shoulder saying that it would be too much of a shame not to bury me in it. I pummelled my fists on his back without actually hitting very hard while the campers laughed appreciatively. Leo was called up to the front while people cheered. After all, it was _his_ quest, but then Athena and Aphrodite cabins steered Jack and I up with him to share the applause.

A feast was prepared in our honour. The food was amazing. Coming from a moderately poor family, our idea of good food was the Balboni's favourite pasta dish. I was fine with that, because their pasta _was _amazing but really, did this camp know how to eat. Mr D snapped his fingers and a glass of wine appeared next to his plate. Chiron muttered something to him and Mr D sighed, waved his hand, and the wine was replaced with diet coke.

Holly gave me a puzzled look.

"Mr.D hates being here at camp, but he was sentenced to teach here for a century by Zeus, for chasing some off limits wood nymph," I said through a mouthful of steak.

Audrey clarified, while Holly listened, because my version of the story wasn't very descriptive.

After the feast had finished and no one could fit in another bite, Audrey, Holly and I began walking back to our cabin. Suddenly someone veered across, blocking our path. It was Sylvia.

"So, how'd you go?" she sneered at me.

"What do you want, Sylvia?" I said through clenched teeth. I was having fun for once, and I didn't want to let Sylvia ruin it.

"Oh, nothing," she said in an airy voice that fooled no one.

Then she gave up her pretense, saying, "Did you cry on the quest? Beg for your Daddy to save you?"

"Go away," I said. I couldn't answer her. That's what she wanted me to do, but I was so angry it was all I could do to stop myself from slapping that little cake face of hers.

"You did? Awww, that's so sweet," she teased.

"I said go away," I was seriously considering strangling Sylvia just so I could be done with her for good.

"I see, you realised that you were a weakling, so you cried. You had to face the truth someday," she said.

I broke my promise. "SHUT UP!"

An unfamiliar power flowed through my voice when I said it. She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. She was just mouthing empty words. Sylvia looked at me in horror. Only now I saw the crowd we had attracted during our argument. I stayed silent.

"Charmspeak," someone whispered.

A single tear slid down my cheek. I didn't want to be this person. I stumbled backwards and then broke into a run. I could face the others. Tears were streaming down my face like a waterfall. I stopped running when I reached the Demeter cabin. I looked at the soft grass roof. All I wanted was to be alone... Biting my lip I began to scale the cabin, using the vines and branches that the Demeter kids had decorated it with. I reached the top easily. I had become a lot stronger since I had first come to camp. I sat down and pulled my knees up to my chest, rocking gently. I looked up at the stars. They twinkled brightly in the midst of midnight blue sky. I remembered the night spent with Leo on Rusty's back doing exactly the same thing. I missed Rusty. I missed Dad. I missed... I wished I had never come to camp. I liked who I was before, not some kid that could make people do whatever I wanted. I swallowed back a sob. I hated charmspeak so much, but I hated myself even more. I hated myself because I knew that secretly, I had loved it. I loved that cold sensation that had flowed through me. I loved that horror-struck look on Sylvia's face. But I hated myself.

"Hey,"

I didn't turn to look. I knew it was Leo's voice instantly, but I didn't want him around. Not now. He sat down next to me and put his arm around my shoulders.

"Hi," I said quietly.

He reached out his hand and wiped the tears off my cheek.

"You alright?" he said softly.

I nodded, finally looking up at him. A bubble of hope formed in my chest. Just maybe...

He was lounging back, using his elbows to prop himself up.

"You know you're not like the other girls Maia," he said.

"Oh,"

I looked down. The bubble popped. I had been fooling myself. I had known not to get my hopes up but I had anyway. _Stupid stupid stupid, _I repeated over and over in my head.

"No, Maia, that's not what I meant,"

_Stupid stupid stupid._

"Maia, look at me,"

I didn't.

"Look at me," Leo repeated.

His soft fingers lifted my petite chin so that my brilliant blue eyes stared into his vibrant green. My eyes hardened into stone cold ice.

"Maia, it's a good thing," Leo said. "You don't fill the silence with needless chatter. You don't rave on and on about nail polish and hot celebrities. You're smart but you aren't superior because of it. You're funny but you don't notice because you are so caught up just being you,"

I put my finger on his lips and he stopped.

"Don't talk," I whispered. "Just kiss me,"

So we did. My heart was melting, slowly. It had been speared and was now being held over a blazing fire. I didn't want it to ever stop.

"I'm being pathetic," Leo whispered against my lips.

"No," I said softly. "You're something completely different,"

The corner of his mouth twitched. "And what might that be?"

"My weakness,"

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**A / N: **Let's just say, I enjoyed writing that chapter. Also, please review! Your reviews mean a lot to me. Even a simple 'good' or 'bad' will do! :)


	9. Chapter 9

**A / N: **Hello again! Time for a new chapter!

**Disclaimer: **Bluuurrrrrm. I'm sleepy. I don't own Percy Jackson. Goodnight.

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9

I woke up, my body curled against Leo's. His eyes were shut and his face was one of complete vulnerability. He had none of the tough guy look on him when he was sleeping. It took me a moment to remember the night before. I remembered drifting asleep, my head rested on Leo's shoulder. I looked around. It was barely dawn. The other campers probably weren't up yet.

"Leo," I whispered. "Wake up,"

Nothing. I nudged him with my elbow.

"You _have _to wake up,"

His eyes gradually opened, that same unnaturally vivid green.

"Come on," I whispered. "We have to go,"

"Already?"

My blue eyes bored into his. "Yes. We were lucky not to be caught by the curfew harpies."

"Those fat little chicken ladies? They couldn't catch us even _with _proper brains."

I laughed. His gaze on me was like a beam of light warming my insides. Though when he stared at me now he seemed to be wondering the exact same thing I was. _How can someone this amazing like me that much? _I already didn't know how I felt. I was worried. What if Leo didn't even like me the way I did? After all, I kissed him first.

"You don't regret it?" he said quietly.

I looked down. "No I don't,"

I knew that much at least.

"Me neither,"

After what seemed to be forever, he said, "I guess we better go then."

"I guess we do."

Leo walked to the edge of the roof, keeping low, and jumped off. He landed, brushed his knees off, and extended his hand. I took it and jumped, landing next to him. Suddenly cheering began from all around us. Gleeful Demigods had just jumped out from behind all the surrounding bushes. It seemed all the campers were there. Leo and I both looked at each and then back. I laughed nervously and Leo grinned. Kids surged around us, many wolf-whistling and yelling.

"Finally!" someone said.

It was Tom.

He clapped Leo on the back and shouted something incomprehensible into his ear.

Leo gave him an exasperated look but my weak smile was broken off as Audrey had just basically tackled me in a hug. "You two are _so _cute!"

I noticed immediately that Audrey wasn't wearing make-up, an event I thought would never occur. Maybe Chiron didn't let her because she was still healing. I didn't mention it because I doubt she approved of Chiron's decision.

"I think the lovebirds need warming up!" yelled Tom over the crowd.

"I don't know. They're looking pretty hot already," Holly said, looking a lot more confident than when I first saw her.

The campers laughed.

"A race!" Tom announced. "To Zeus' fist!"

Zeus' fist? The clump of rocks in the forest was given that nickname for its uncanny resemblance to a fist sticking out of the ground. The forest was quite far from where we were actually, but I _am _a long distance runner. I put on a smile.

"What do you think?" I said to Leo playfully. "Too far for you?"

He grinned. "Nothing's too far for me,"

I winked at him. "Game on,"

I started sprinted through the grass, wishing I was wearing proper running shoes instead of my white sneakers. I slowed down. I knew I could easily outrun Leo, but I wanted to make it a little fairer. He wasn't far behind, but every time he got close I went just a little bit faster. All the while my mind was racing with confused thoughts. But if Leo didn't like me he would tell me right? I pushed the thoughts away and kept on running. I reached the rocks first and raised my arm in triumph.

"I win!" I announced when he reached me.

"And that -" said Leo, breathing hard. "- is why you do not try to race a professional sprinter,"

"Not sprinter, long distance," I said immediately.

He smirked. "What would you like then, for beating me?"

"This," I said.

My lips met his cautiously at first, but I didn't want gentle. I half dragged him towards me, his shirt in my fists. He gave a soft groan against my lips as we kissed with such passion that it might have consumed me. Now Leo's hand was on my back, pulling me in closer. Our breaths were short and unnecessary. Leo's skin was burning hot and sweaty but I didn't care. It seemed to last for a million years. Or maybe only a few minutes. Or an hour. Or possibly several sunlight days

Too soon I heard from somewhere in the distance Mr. D's voice yelling to the ears-droppers, "I know this all very exciting, but you pestering half-bloods need to get to your classes."

I broke away, not wanting to tear my gaze from his. With another shout from Mr. D I turned and began running back. I ran fast, because for all I knew the harpies were lurking around in the forest. I still wasn't sure it was a coincidence that the bird ladies hadn't caught us, so I suspected they were now holding a grudge.

I caught up to Holly and Audrey who were walking up to Arts and Craft class. I slowed down to match their pace.

"Hey Maia!" said Holly brightly.

She had a sort of glint in her eyes that hadn't been there the night she came. I smiled inwardly. I knew how nice it was to finally belong.

"And you're welcome too," said Audrey seriously.

I frowned. "What for?"

Audrey smiled an all-knowing smile that I would normally associate with Jack. "Well someone had to distract the harpies,"

My suspicions were confirmed.

"Well then, thank you," I said, giving a small smile.

"I won't be around much next year, I promised my Dad I'd stay with him and see how it goes," Audrey told me as we walked into the classroom, Audrey gliding gracefully up the stairs in high heels which, she informed me, took a lot of practice.

Audrey had told me about her Dad. Apparently they hadn't got along very well since he married her stepmother, who was a very strict banker. They had had twin girls which Audrey described as 'ungrateful little brats'.

"It doesn't matter. You're still my best friend ever," I assured her.

"What about Leo?" she said nudging me with her elbow.

"That's different," I said.

Holly smiled. "It sure is,"

We sat down at a whittling bench.

"You two are officially a couple now?" she asked. I could feel myself blushing again.

"I don't know. It was just once," I said, picking up one of the blocks of wood and grabbing a small knife.

"It's soooo romantic," she gushed.

Geez, you just have to say one word to Audrey, and you'd already know she's part love goddess.

"Shut up." I moaned.

"But everyone saw!" she protested.

"About that. I need to contact Chiron concerning the privacy issues going on here."

I dug a chunk out of the wood block violently. A head popped in next to Audrey. I recognised Sarah from the Apollo cabin.

She propped herself up with her elbow. "Well he must like you a lot. A part of your heart you will resurrect? And the last lines of the prophecy... first true love if I say so."

I looked at her. "One; how do you know about the prophecy? And two; what last lines?"

She raised her eyebrows. "You don't know the lines? Wow. Anyway, my dad is the _god_ of prophecies. I get to know about this stuff."

I bit back my question. Sarah would never tell me the lines. Instead I pleaded, "Please don't let this go viral,"

"Oh but it already is," Audrey said slyly.

She hadn't made so much as a dent in her wood block.

I sighed and put down my tools. I had been making a miniature sculpture of Rusty, of when he was carrying us to San Francisco. I couldn't bring myself to concentrate.

As it so happened, I didn't need to. There was a loud dog's bark from the other side of the room that made the ground tremble. I didn't need to turn around to tell that it was Rusty, standing at the doorway, as he couldn't fit in the door. His nose poked through the door way, leaving the door to clatter on to the ground.

"Who invited that _thing_ in the camp?" shrieked Sylvia.

A couple people sniggered and others looked around the room for the person that let a monster of the underworld into camp.

"Me," said Jack, ducking his head and raising his hand.

I flashed a beaming smile at him, and he went red. It's moments like these that make me hate Aphrodite. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a large fleshy purple thing making its way inside. Rusty's tongue had slid into the room and licked Jack full in the face. A murmur of appreciative laughter spread through the room. I pushed out my chair with a grinding noise that made me wince, and got up. I navigated my way between the tables and walked over to Rusty, pausing only to give Jack a quick hug. I ducked as Rusty's tongue slid out for the second time, accidentally delegating the slobber treatment to the person behind me. A shrill scream came from the current victim of this latest coating. I turned around and my heels to see an irate Sylvia Jones. She sat there, screaming, all her designer clothes drenched in slimy saliva. A tiny part of me felt sorry for her, but that soon vanished with her next comment.

"He's a monster!"

My expression hardened and I opened my mouth to speak, but Jack got there first. I looked at Jack in surprise, remembering that those had been _his_ exact words when he had first met Rusty.

Jack put his hand to his ear. "Excuse me, what was it you were saying about yourself?"

Someone sniggered. I smiled, biting my lip.

Sylvia folded her arms. "I said _he_,"

Jack nodded slowly, and rocking back on his chair. "Yes. That's why I thought you were referring to yourself,"

Sylvia opened her mouth to speak just as I realised what she was going to do. There was no way I'd let her charmspeak my friends.

"Stop talking Sylvia," I murmured.

The rest of Sylvia's sentence was lost. She glared at me, thrusting a rude hand gesture, seeing as she could no longer speak. I only gave a small smile.

"Sylvia meet Rusty. Rusty meet Sylvia. He's my new pet." I patted Rusty lightly on his enormous muzzle.

Sylvia somehow managed to look even angrier than she already did, but everyone else just grinned. They didn't really like Sylvia either. A timid saytr dismissed the class, edging to the corner furthest from Rusty as the class filed towards the door. No one could've concentrated with Rusty sitting at the doorway anyway. Jack took on the task of convincing the saytrs that he was harmless, but Chiron didn't seem to mind when Jack and I told him. In fact, I was almost getting the impression that Chiron actually liked having Rusty around.

"Maia," Chiron said as I went to follow Jack out the door.

"Yeah?" I said cautiously.

I really hoped this wasn't about the unauthorised night on top of Demeter's cabin.

"I have an offer for Rusty," he said.

It was a couple of seconds before a noticed my mouth had fallen open.

"I would like him to guard the camp, as we have been getting a disturbing amount of monster attacks this year. I fear that the magical barrier is failing. Rusty could stay year round,"

I didn't speak at first for shock, but then said, "You... you want Rusty to stay?"

Chiron nodded. "Yes. That is the idea at least,"

"Um, sure, I guess," I said blankly.

I had known I couldn't keep him at my Dad's house, but I had tried not to think about where Rusty would have to go without me. This seemed like the best option. The only option.

Chiron gave a small bow. "Thank you Maia,"

He turned tail and galloped off to no doubt tend to some other issue in the camp.

_Well, that was quick._

He suddenly stopped and turned around. "The camp notices were delivered to the cabins today. You might want to check them out,"

I nodded. Swinging around on my heels, I headed back to cabin ten. Inside, the cabin held an eerie silence instead of the usual chatter that came from the now absent campers. I kicked off my sneakers and climbed up the rickety ladder and into my bed on the top bunk, wincing slightly as the metal rungs dug into my feet. It was painfully obvious that I was a new camper. All the other wall space that happened to be next to a bed was littered with old photographs and posters. The only photos I'd stuck up were the ones of me and my Dad, and, in several of them, Emma too. I sighed. It was times like these that I missed her more than ever.

Then I noticed a small green envelope lying upon my pillow. The little cartoon pegasus in the corner made it instantly recognisable as a camp notice. I ripped it open (not very neatly) and began to read. I knew Dionysus must've filled it out, because he stubbornly persisted on getting my name wrong. A tradition he upheld with every camper.

_Dear May Lightworm,_

_If you intend to stay at Camp Half-Blood year-round, you must inform the Big House by noon today. If you do not announce your intentions, we will assume you vacated your cabin or died a horrible death. Cleaning harpies will begin work in the evening. They are authorised to eat any unregistered campers. All personal items left behind will be incinerated in the lava pit. Have a nice day!_

_Mr.D (Dionysus)_

_Camp Director, Olympian Council #12._

I wasn't a hard decision. I wanted to go home. I knew I'd be leaving Audrey, Leo, Jack and all my other new friends behind, but I would see them again next summer at least. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw another letter. It was from Dad. I laughed. Dad hated writing letters, but a phone call isn't really an option when you're trying to contact Demigod Central. He asked whether I was okay, and that he'd understand if I wanted to stay year round at Camp Half-Blood, but that he thought the food was probably better at home then what camp food was. I wrote back to straight away. It took a lot of scrunched up prices of paper and scribbled out sentences before I was happy with the result. Fitting a fortnight long quest into one piece of paper was no easy task. I told him everything and that of course I'd come back. When I walked out of my cabin, it was with a wide smile on my face. I finally going home, and I told Chiron that. I wasn't going to give the cleaning harpies another excuse to eat me.

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**A / N: **One more tiny chapter to go! Please review.


	10. Chapter 10

**A / N: **This chapter is tinsie, only because it is the very last chapter and I didn't have much else to write. Don't worry, I'll post an Author's Note cchapter explaining what will happen. There is a sequel that I'm writing to this book, so please read that.

**Disclaimer: **School = me. PJO = Rick Riordan.

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10

After the very last few weeks of blissful happiness, Leo and I began walking down the path that led out of camp. He had taken it as his duty to take my bags down to my Dad's car with me, but I knew he really just wanted to say another goodbye.

"I'll call you," I promised.

"You can't, remember. Actually you can. I wouldn't mind having a nice healthy monster fight. It's pretty boring during the camp year,"

I gave a short laugh. "Let me know when you get too bored then,"

"I sure will, Miss Universe,"

I smiled, but then it faltered. I remembered something I had been yearning to ask.

I stopped walking and took a deep breath. "Leo?"

"Yeah?" He stopped too, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"What were the last lines of the prophecy?"

Leo looked down. "Maia... just, not now, okay?"

"But-" I began.

"_Please_?" he pleaded.

I bit my lip. "Okay. You know you can tell me anything though, right? I would never think any less of you,"

Leo nodded. "I know. I just... I just need time,"

"Yeah,"

We were standing close enough that his eyelashes tickled my forehead. I pulled his towards so that our mouths were barely touching. It was the sort of lingering kiss that turned my insides to jelly.

"Be careful," I whispered, breaking away.

"You too, Maia,"

I gently took my bag from his hands and headed towards the road where a dusty blue car was waiting. The driver's door opened and a tired figure climbed out. I sprinted towards him and gave my Dad a bear hug, burying my face into his jumper.

"I missed you," he said.

"I missed you too," I mumbled through the fabric.

He gave me an awkward boy-pat on the back, his other hand stroking my hair.

"I love you, Maia,"

"I love you too, Dad,"

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**A / N: **Please tell me what you thought of this story!


	11. Author's Note

Hi everyone! Since this book has ended, this is just a little note about the sequel _Maia Lightwood and the Half-Blood's Wrath _that I'll be posting. The book is still in Maia's first person, and there might be some new characters. I don't want to spoil much, just because I'd like you all to read it. Any reviews on the book as a whole, or any questions would be nice. If you're posting a guest review, I unfortunately can't reply, but if you still want to do that, it's fine. See you in the next book!

Beautiful8Nightmare


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